


Convergence

by Jaili



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Manga Based, Redemption, Violence, reiner braun - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-19 02:41:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 23,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15500529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaili/pseuds/Jaili
Summary: Reiner Braun deserves redemption and love, and this story attempts to do just that.





	1. Chapter 1

Heida glanced at the pheasant in her hands, today was a lucky day. Binding the dead birds feet with a length of rope, she tossed it over her shoulder and made her way through the forest back to her home. When she walked out of the woods and looked towards the road in the distance, something looked off.

 

Curious, she walked towards the long, lumpy thing, speeding up to a jog when she realized the shape was human. "Hey! Are you okay?" She said, coming to kneel beside the green cloaked stranger. He did not respond, nor did he move. There were no obvious signs of damage, no blood to be seen, so she cautiously pulled back his hood and took a look at his face.

 

Short blond hair and a masculine face greeted her, but far paler than it should be. He looked like death, with dark rings under his eyes. He was breathing though, and she resolved to help as best she could. Tying the pheasant to her belt, she grabbed on to his muscular arm and heaved him into an awkward firemans carry. It was then she felt how hot he was, the heat seeped through the layers of their clothes and set her to sweating right away.

 

Staggering forwards, she turned towards her home and began to put one foot in front of the other. This guy was huge, his feet dragged against the ground and his weight threatened to send them both tumbling. "Do me a favor and wake up," she huffed raggedly. He did not.

 

He woke to the sound of a shovel hitting dirt steadily and repeatedly. Bleary eyed and sore from head to toe, he looked at his surroundings. It appeared to be a small stall with a few stacks of hay, he was laying on a loose pile of it and there was a cup within arms reach. Realizing he was parched, he grabbed the cup and took a long drink.

 

Staggering to his feet, he recovered from the soreness as he made his way out the door. Who was he? Where was he? When he thought about it, there was a big blank space where memories should be. Maybe the person digging would know.

 

"Oh!" Heida said, looking up from the long and deep hole she had been digging. "I am glad you're awake, seems like I got a little carried away thinking you were a goner." With a grunt she pulled herself out of the hole and offered a dirty hand and a smile. "I'm Heida, and you are?"

 

So she didn't know, his shoulders sagged as he took her smaller calloused hand and gave a brief shake. "Heida. I don't know who I am," he said in a daze.

 

"Oh," she frowned, a slight downward turning of her full lips, before swiping her forehead with the back of her hand and regarding him thoughtfully with grey eyes. "Well, you still don't look too good. Lets go have some dinner and maybe something will come back," she said.

 

"Where are we?" he said while following behind her, looking over her long braided brown hair and runners frame, and also at the fair sized knife on her belt. He decided she may know how to handle herself, seeing as she did not seem threatened. His stomach rumbled loudly and he placed a hand over it in embarrassment.

 

She lead him past the hay stall and to a modest wooden cabin. "Straight Northwest of Yalkell, within wall rose," she said, shoving the heavy door inwards and beckoning him to follow, "any idea how you got here?"

 

The smell of stew hit him and his stomach rumbled so loud he thought it might jump out of his body. "No idea, did you drag me from somewhere?" That might explain his soreness if she did, but there were no drag marks that he saw.

 

She quickly overturned a bucket at her tiny table and offered him the real chair, and in no time there was hot stew for two sitting on the table which she took a bite from before answering. "I found you on the merchant road and carried you here," another spoonful and a happy groan, "there was no one else in sight, it was strange. Sorry about leaving you in with the hay, I figured it would be easier to be able to hide in my house and lock you out if need be," she said.

 

He nodded, so she had taken time to consider if he was a threat or not, that was reasonable. He took a spoonful and let out a happy groan too, "this is amazing," he said, "and I don't blame you for being cautious. I don't even know who I am, maybe I'm a bandit," he shrugged. He was also impressed that she carried him anywhere, her head only came up to the base of his chest, but he kept that to himself.

 

Her lips bowed upwards into a sincere smile. "Well if you are, here's hoping you decide to turn over a new leaf," she said.

 

He chuckled, regarding her intently with golden brown eyes.

 

She was looking at him clinically, "you are looking much better now. A handsome man after all," she chuckled and finished off her stew.

 

Face flushing, he cleared his throat and did the same.

 

She took the bowls and spoons and placed them in a sink for later, then placed a lid on the pot of stew she made. "Well, I think we have enough time to hit the hot spring before it gets too dark. I don't know about you, but I'm a mess," she said, turning to face him with her hands on her hips.

 

Not really sure what that entailed, it finally clicked when he stood up and she shoved a bar of soap in his hand. "Oh," he said.

 

"There is no running water around here, but there is a hot spring in the woods that the locals use. It should be quiet by now too," she double checked her knife, grabbed a soap for herself and the bucket she had been sitting on.

 

As they were walking he continued to wrack his brain, trying to drum up a memory, anything that could shed light on who he was and his situation. Was he really just a bandit? He didn't think he was that kind of person.

 

The forest enveloped them, blocking out the sun and dampening all sound. Heida found it therapeutic and felt herself relaxing, leading her newfound guest down her own time-worn path to the hot springs. When they arrived she stopped and held her hand out for him to do the same, ducking down.

 

"What is it?" he whispered, unable to see past the trees

 

"There's a group leaving," she murmured, watching their lights pass into the forest and wink out. "They aren't locals, I've been keeping an eye on them for a while." Every day, they crept a little closer to her home, and she didn't like it.

 

He kept quiet, keenly aware of his lack of armaments, but also wondering about the group. Did he know them, perhaps?

 

After a while she stood up and moved into the small clearing, gesturing for him to follow along. "Guess we better make it quick or we're heading home in the dark," she said.

 

He jumped in surprise when she began stripping down, his face blazing red, "uhh," he stammered.

 

Naked, she turned to face him and gave him a questioning look. "Maybe you're younger than you look," she said before tentatively walking into the steaming hot pool. She made sure her knife was on the edge in easy reach. Either blind or uncaring of his discomfort, she started scrubbing the dirt of the day off.

 

 _I don't even know how old I am,_ he thought. Careful to keep his eyes off of her athletic body, he walked to a smaller pool and stripped down as well, pausing when he noticed a hole in his shirt at the back and lower half. It was crusted with blood, but he knew for certain he had no open wounds. He knelt down in the water, letting out a sigh as it crept up to his chin and gave his sore body relief.

 

Subtly, she watched him soaping up and scrubbing down. His muscles were well defined and though his broad back was to her, she was sure he had quite the impressive front too. But he was pristine, not a scar in sight. She cleaned up quickly and was soon getting back into her clothes after wringing out her hair and putting it back in a braid. Normally this would be a lengthy and enjoyable process, but the darkness was already setting in.

 

He was thankful when she turned her head away to give him some privacy to redress, clearly more aware of his discomfort than he thought. He grabbed up his soap and followed after her.

 

By the time they were out of the woods it was full on dark out, but she knew the path as well as she knew herself and guided them both to the cabin with ease.

 

"You haven't told me anything about yourself, Heida," he finally spoke up as they walked in.

 

"Ah, not much to tell really," she took his soap and put them both away before kneeling at the foot of her bed and pulling a folded blanket out from underneath. "Hunter living off the land, occasionally work on a nearby farm if game is too scarce. Just surviving, like everyone else," she said as she handed off the blanket to him.

 

"I see," he said. The lithe body he saw made sense now, she must be nimble as a fox.

 

"Way I see it, you're welcome to stay here as long as you want, so long as you help out. And if you don't mind there not being another bed," she chuckled. "You can have the floor or you can mess up some hay and put the blanket over that, it might be more comfortable," she said.

 

He nodded and considered the options. "I'll go back out to the hay," he said, turning to the door.

 

"See you in the morning," she gave him a nod and turned to her own bed.

 

It took a while to get to sleep, and when he did it was not restful. Dreams came, violent ones with titans and full of the faces of people he no longer knew the names of. Some looked accusing, others friendly, it all blurred together into an upsetting mess. By the time he woke up, sweating profusely and not rested, Heida was already out and about.

 

"Ah there you are," she said, promptly shoving a basket into his hands. "You think you might know what berries are poisonous or not?"

 

Blinking sleep from his eyes he thought about it for a second and then gave a shrug, "maybe."

 

Regarding him intently for a few moments, she nodded. "Pick whatever you can find, don't eat any, and meet me back here when you're done. Did you sleep well by the way? You don't look too great," she said.

 

"My dreams," he said, "were strange."

 

"Alright, was hoping something would have come back. Maybe you just need some time," she said.

 

"Yeah," he said, walking away and into the woods to scavenge.

 

By the time he got back, basket full of berries and a few nuts, none of which he knew were poisonous or not, he saw Heida off in the distance talking to someone on a wagon.

 

"Everyone inside these walls are celebrating right now, you should see it!" The elderly man exclaimed as Reiner walked into hearing range.

 

"That's wonderful news Jake, maybe I will visit Yalkell or Chlorba sooner than I planned," Heida said.

 

"Say Heida, who is this?" Jake gestured to Reiner, a curious look on his face.

 

"No idea, but he's staying until he either remembers or moves on," Heida turned to glance at Reiner.

 

"Hello," Reiner nodded politely.

 

"You don't recognize him at all do you?" Heida said.

 

"No," Jake said with a shake of his head, "can't say that I do."

 

"Well alright, I need to get back to the cabin. Good to see you, stay safe!" Heida smiled and gave Jake a wave.

 

"You too, goodbye," Jake turned and gave his old horse the go ahead. The wagon was soon lurching down the road.

 

"Friend of yours?" Reiner wondered out loud as he followed after her.

 

"Jake owns the nearest farm, I work for him from time to time. Here, let's see that basket," she said, coming to walk beside him and take the basket. "Hmm, not bad. I'll show you the good and bad ones."

 

When they sat down at the table she started picking the berries out of the basket with a quick efficiency, making two different piles and leaving the nuts alone. "Poisonous," she gestured to one, "safe," she gestured to the other.

 

"Alright," he nodded, paying attention and recalling what berries were attached to what plant when he picked them.

 

After a while she paused, looking at him with her thin brows slightly furrowed. "I've been thinking," she said in a measured tone.

 

He held her gaze, "yeah?"

 

"I think you may have been some kind of soldier," she said, "now, I don't have much evidence but people who work fields and hunt game don't-"

 

Her voice faded away as his mind was whisked somewhere else, he was flying through a forest. Not actually flying, but assisted by some kind of gear that he was aiming at trees and using momentum from. When he landed on the ground a shorter man with a mop of brown hair slapped him on the shoulder in a friendly gesture, "not bad, Reiner!"

 

He gasped as the earth beneath his feet was sucked away and in a blink he was back in the small cabin, clenching at the table for dear life.

 

Heida was in her seat, but had one hand stretched out towards him and one on her sheathed knife, "hey! You alright? Say something!"

 

Taking a deep breath, he slowly let go of the table and settled down, glancing at his hands which had crushed a few berries and were now colorful and gooey. "Reiner," he said.

 

"Reiner? I don't know what that is," she frowned and settled down herself, hands back to resting on her legs.

 

"My name is Reiner," he said, thinking on what just happened, "and I think you are right."

 

"I knew it!" She slammed a fist on the table, sending berries jumping about, "no field worker or hunter ever had a body that fine!"

 

Reiner stared.

 

A blush crept up her cheeks and she began to sedately separate the berries again. "Ehm," she said.

 

He let out a chuckle and started helping, now that he knew which was which. "I guess my memories will come back soon enough. But if I was a soldier shouldn't I go to town and try to figure out how to get back to the others?" There were many people in his dreams, maybe they were his comrades.

 

"I was planning on going to one of the cities soon, apparently they are all celebrating the sealing of the Shiganshina wall hole. You're welcome to come with me," she said.

 

"Shiganshina..." he murmured.

 

"Yeah, where the colossal and armored titans broke through the wall, years ago now," she said matter-of-factly.

 

"I see," he said. Though no memory stirred, a deep sense of dread settled in his chest. "I will go to town with you, maybe I will remember more." He went to give his berry-goo fingers a lick.

 

Her hand slapped his away, lightning fast. "You squished a poison one too," she said.

 

"Ah, thanks," he said.

 

When they were done she placed all the good berries back in the basket and threw the bad ones out the door. "Didn't get any hunting done today," she gave her bow that was resting beside the door a fond pat, "I found tracks and they lead me to those men I have been watching," she said.

 

Reiner did not like the implication. "Did you talk to them?"

 

"No. They are always armed so I stay back, just in case, but they have steadily been coming this way for a while now." Her face looked grim. "I think we can expect a visit soon," she unbuckled her knife and handed it to him.

 

Reiner buckled it to his belt and nodded. "I don't remember how to fight or anything, I don't know how much use I'll be to you," he said doubtfully.

 

"You're still a big guy," she shrugged, "you could stop a fight just by showing up." She moved to look out the window over the sink, it faced the woods and was the only window in the cabin. "Still, don't put yourself in a bad spot because of me, got it?"

 

He didn't plan on following that order, but he nodded all the same. "Alright. With any luck they aren't what you think they are anyway," he said.

 

"We'll see," she said, voice soft.

 

After dinner, which was the last of the pheasant stew, Reiner bid Heida good night and went to his temporary bed. It wasn't so bad, given the circumstances. Still, sleep didn't come easy and just as he was dozing off he heard the unmistakable thumping of a fist knocking on a door. He came to his feet quietly and peered around a bale of hay. It was four men, one of them holding a torch and standing back a ways.

 

He heard Heida say something through the door, but he couldn't tell what as it was too muffled. She wasn't opening the door though.

 

"Open up," the man who had knocked said, "or we'll burn it down."

 

Reiners heart dropped, this wasn't good. Heida said something else that seemed to rile them up, because the man with the torch started walking towards the cabin with it raised.

 

"Hey now!" Reiner said, stepping into sight. "Lets not do anything hasty." The knife at his belt was clearly visible, as he wasn't wearing his cloak.

 

"What..." One man said as they all turned to look at Reiner.

 

They looked like they had seen a ghost, and Reiner quirked a brow. "Lets talk, what do you want?"

 

"Not possible," one of them muttered, taking a half step back.

 

"What isn't possible?" Reiner said, edging closer.

 

All three pulled large knives out of their sheaths, and the man who had knocked shouted, "you should be dead!"

 

Reiner blinked. Dead? He frowned, thinking about the hole in his shirt. "You stabbed me?"

 

"Yeah, well, you're not coming back this time!" Three of them let out battle cries and charged, brandishing their knives.

 

Reiners eyes opened wide in surprise, but his own knife appeared in his hand as if by instinct. He saw over their heads the cabin door opening and something flying out of it, the man with the torch who stood back fell to the ground immediately.

 

Unaware one of their partners had fallen already, the three remaining men launched themselves at Reiner. Two of them charged past his sides, slicing inwards with their knives, while the third raised his over his head and stabbed downwards. Unable to block all three at once, Reiner caught the man by both wrists with his one hand and stabbed diagonally and upwards with his knife in a vicious thrust.

 

He and the man he just stabbed let out anguished cries. Lunging forwards, Reiner threw the man over his shoulder in an attempt to block another attack from behind. There was a dull thump and a curse, the man on his back going quiet as Reiner staggered forwards and let him fall to the earth.

 

Heida was outside with her bow and an arrow knocked, but she couldn't get a clear shot with Reiner in the way.

 

Reiner tried to turn around but wasn't fast enough, getting tackled to the ground onto his side by one of the men who was snarling like an animal. He no longer had a knife and was unable to make a counter attack focused on the one that was coming down towards his chest; he caught the wrist of the hand holding the knife and trembled against the full weight of the attackers body being put down against it, but held steady.

 

The second attacker walked into view then, and to Reiners dismay he placed his foot on the butt of the knife and shoved with all his weight. The knife fell and sank deep into Reiners chest as an arrow bloomed from the standing attackers own chest, forcing him to fall back.

 

Reiner let out a gasp as the metal slid between his ribs and hit home.

 

"DIE!" The attacker on top of him shrieked, frothing at the mouth in his rage. His eyes widened when an arrow struck his chest too, gasping and crawling off of Reiner, the knife forgotten.

 

"Reiner!" Heida shouted, running over and recovering a knife from the now dead standing attacker.

 

Reiners hand curled around the knife in his chest as he watched Heida swiftly walk to the man who was crawling away. He could not see, but he heard the knife cutting through flesh, the sound of a body slumping to the ground and a wet gurgling.

 

Heida flew to his side and looked aghast at what she saw. His sides were open and weeping freely, and the knife in his chest was deep enough it could be in his heart. "Oh," she said, tears building in her eyes. "I told you not to put yourself in danger, you idiot!"

 

"Take it out," Reiner said quietly. His fist was curled around the hilt of the knife, but he couldn't find the strength to remove it.

 

Heida calculated the risk. The blade was plugging the hole, and if the plug was removed he'd be in real trouble without medical aid. But there was no medical aid, not out here. Lips quivering, she slowly pulled away his hand and curled both of hers around the hilt. "Alright," she said.

 

He let out a cry when she wrenched it free and his shirt was immediately soaked with the gushing of blood. Surely it had at least nicked his heart.

 

His eyes closed as consciousness fled him and she placed her hands against the wound, applying pressure as best she could. "Don't die," she demanded.

 

His skin felt hot, too hot for a dying man, hot enough to cause pain. She hissed and pulled her hands away from the wound when it was too much, and in the low light of the moon she thought she saw smoke rising from her bloody hands and his body. Not smoke, steam?

 

Bewildered, she watched. He had stopped breathing, but began to take shallow breaths again after a short while. Steam was rising from his wounds in an unending plume.

 

Fear creeped into her heart, fear of the unknown, and she rose to a stand. The torch was partially burning in the grass still, and she ran for it. Bringing it back only confirmed what was happening, and with wonder she saw the gash in his chest sealing shut.

 

When Reiner opened his eyes, it was to Heida pointing a knife at him. "What?" he said.

 

"What are you?" Heida whispered, the knife trembling in her hand as he stood up and she backed away.

 

"What do you mean? I'm Reiner, relax," he held his hands at his sides in a gesture of peace. He looked down at the dead men on the grass and frowned, piecing things together. "You killed them?"

 

"Yeah," she said, knife arm not moving, "and they killed you."

 

"I don't-" he looked down and paused, staring at his blood red shirt and the holes where knives had pierced it. Stunned into silence, he looked back at Heida.

 

"I don't know what _can_ kill you, but I'll damn well try everything if you make a move!" Heida hissed. His eyes, lit up in the torch light, looked lost and confused.

 

He took a slow breath. "Heida, I'm not going to hurt you. I don't know what is going on, but I need to remember," he said.

 

She swallowed hard, baring her teeth when he reached up and gently pressed her hand down, but allowed it.

 

"You did good," he said, as if trying to calm a wild animal. He rested a hand on her shoulder and gave a small squeeze. "We're both alive thanks to you."

 

She swallowed hard and let the knife drop, drawing him in to a tight hug. "You were dead," she said, voice wavering.

 

He curled his arms around her and gave comfort as best he could, all while his mind was racing.

 

It was a few minutes, but she recovered and slowly stepped away. He had taken the torch from her hand when she went in for the hug, and now curled her arms around herself defensively as she looked at the carnage she had wrought. "We need to dispose of them," she said quietly.

 

"Yeah," Reiner said.

 

Kneeling beside the corpse of the man she garroted with the knife, she began patting him down reluctantly. "They might have something useful on them, help me look," she said.

 

Together they combed over all four of them and ended up with four knives and the torch, it seemed they were traveling light. Reiner ended up digging the grave originally intended for him a bit deeper and wider, and they dumped all four corpses into it. Sunlight had begun to trickle over the edge of the horizon by the time they finished covering the hole, sweaty and bloody and tired.

 

"They must have set up camp not far away," Heida said, "I don't think there are any more of them, but come with me just in case."

 

"Alright," Reiner said dazedly. He felt like he was navigating through a haze, frustrated by the lack of revelations over this healing ability, and wasn't sure where his next steps would take him. He blinked when Heida shoved a cloth bag into his hands.

 

"Soap," she said, before turning away and beginning to follow the tracks the group had made in the soft earth. Her bow was in her hands and ready.

 

He hung the soap from his belt and stalked after her.

 

There had been a modest camp with four small single person tents and a couple sacks of foodstuff. "Probably stole the food from people they killed," Heida muttered, looking at the loose vegetables in the sack she held. It felt like a fist closed around her heart when she realized who they may have killed.

 

"You alright?" Reiner came over quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder and feeling her weight shift into it. She looked pale as a ghost.

 

"We need to go see Jake and his family," her hands trembled, clutching the bag tightly.

 

Reiner coaxed bag out of her hands and held all four of them in his one hand, understanding the problem now. "Lets go see them," he said.

 

She took off at a run and he chased. Her pace only quickened when they broke through the forests edge and entered the plains, and Reiner was hard pressed to keep up even with his longer legs. The farmstead was a slowly growing dot on the horizon and by the time they reached it both were heaving breaths.

 

"Jake!" Heida shouted raggedly as she stumbled up to his home. It was a real house, built for Jakes family by Jake himself.

 

Reiner looked around warily, noting the door to the house was ajar. "Heida..." he said.

 

Heida ran to the door, looked inside and staggered back, vomiting violently on the porch.

 

Reiner approached, wary of what might have caused that reaction. The wind changed directions and the smell of death hit him head on, making him grimace.

 

Gasping for breaths, heaving and crying, Heida smacked her fist into her knee. "All of them," she said.

 

"It's not your fault," Reiner said, standing at the base of the stairs.

 

"Of course it's my fault!" She roared, glaring into his eyes now that she was of height with him. "I knew about them and didn't warn Jake!"

 

Quietly Reiner agreed, but he shook his head anyways. "No. You are not responsible for the actions of a few bandits," he said.

 

Tears dripping off her chin, Heida sobbed and swiped the offending wetness off her face. "We need to bury them," she said.

 

"Lets find some shovels," he agreed.

 

The children were the hardest part, Reiner found. The whole family had been cut up badly and both the parents had clearly tried to fight, but all they had were kitchen knives and no experience. He hardened his heart and calmly dug, filled and covered the graves of the family, taking turns digging and covering with Heida.

 

Heida had put on a mask of grief, and finished the work with Reiner in silence. When they finally put the shovels away, she said, "I'll need to head to town tomorrow and spread the word. Jake and his family farm produce a lot and it can't be left to rot, someone has to take up the job."

 

"I'll come with you," Reiner said.

 

Exhausted, they walked back to her cabin, ate stew with some of the stolen vegetables and went to bed.

 

Reiner began dreaming almost before his head hit the blanket. Of the faces and snatches of conversation that flew by, a taller man with short brown hair and dark green eyes looked at him incredulously. _Are we doing it?! Now?! Right here?!_

 

When he woke, a terrible sense of guiltiness and horror infused every muscle, every bone in his body, and he did not know why.

 

Heida was already up and packing a backpack with foodstuff and other necessary travel items when Reiner walked in. "Morning," she muttered. She was moving slower than usual, still dead tired and sore all over.

 

Reiner had no such soreness, and he found it telling. "How long will it take for us to reach Yalkell?" he said.

 

She handed him a canteen and shouldered the backpack, a profound sadness etched onto her face. "Solid day of walking at least, less if we can catch a ride with someone from the farms between here and there," she said.

 

"Let me take the backpack," he said, holding his hand out. She did not fight about it, handing it to him with visible relief. "Are you ready?"

 

"Yeah," she said.

 

Together they set out for the road, side by side. "I hope everything works out for you, Reiner," she said.

 

"Me too. What about you? You said you worked on that farm for food sometimes," he said.

 

Her face twisted with grief before smoothing over. "Hopefully I can work something out with the new owner. If not, I may have to give up the hunting life and seek employment somewhere," she said.

 

"Guess we'll see," he said.

 

As luck would have it, they did end up catching a ride on a wagon and making it to Yalkell as night fell. The wagon owner, sad with the news of Jake and his family, had promised to pass the news on and bid them farewell.

 

Together they walked through the streets as people began to bed down for the night, but there was a distinct air of celebration that remained. It wasn't any one thing, but the people seemed happier and there were little signs of partying here and there.

 

"I'm glad humanity has the wall back, hopefully good times are ahead like everyone seems to think," Heida finally said. She was standing in front of a noticeboard, squinting in the dim light.

 

"Yeah," Reiner said, looking around. He had hoped seeing something, someone, anything would jog his memory. So far, no luck. He heard a ripping noise and quirked a brow, trying to spot what Heida had rolled up and pocketed.

 

"Lets find an inn for the night," she said, voice tight.

 

"Alright," he said, drawing his hood further past his face with a little tug. Something was off, he had already gotten a few strange looks. Maybe it was the shirt? They never did get in to clean clothes, not that he had any. He felt distinctly self conscious, especially being the tallest person around, all the way to the inn.

 

The innkeeper took one look at the two of them an raised an eyebrow. "Only one room left," he warned.

 

"That's fine," Heida said as she got Reiner to turn around and dug the appropriate coinage out of the backpack. She almost flew up the stairs, he had to skip a few to keep up.

 

As soon as he entered the room she locked the door up and turned to face him, looking distressed.

 

"Alright," he said, "what's wrong?"

 

"We can't stay here," she said, unwrapping the paper she had pocketed and pushing it at him. "You're wanted."

 

Looking up at him from the paper was his visage in painstaking detail, the words Wanted: Reiner Braun printed above it in bold. "What," he said, mouth hanging open.

 

"Read it!" she hissed, slipping past him to pace around the room and look out the window as if the military police were about the come flying through it any second.

 

"Responsible for the Shiganshina titan massacre," he said, swallowing hard. "Reiner Braun is the armored titan..." There was more, detailing his infiltration and betrayal, but the words blurred and all he could hear was his heartbeat pounding in his ears. _I am a titan._ Numb, he lowered himself to sit on the edge of the bed as a memory surfaced.

 

_Marley. I came to break down the walls of Paradis for Marley, and I did it with friends._

 

"Is it true?" Heida said, staring at him.

 

He looked up from the paper on his lap, and it felt as though acid was pouring out of his mouth when he answered, "yes, I am the armored titan. I broke down the gate."

 

Silence pervaded the room, the pair staring at one another intensely. Many emotions flickered across Heidas face, from rage to sorrow and back again.

 

"You need to-"

 

"I need to-"

 

They both paused, having spoken at the same time. Heida quickly broke the silence. "You need to turn yourself in, Reiner. Atone for what you have done," she said.

 

"Atone?" He wanted to laugh, he couldn't even remember what he had done, not in full anyway. "What kind of atonement is there for someone who has killed so many?" He wondered out loud.

 

"Once the celebration dies down, you _will_ be found," she said, clenching a fist at him, "whatever punishment is to be dealt to you, it will no doubt be kinder if you turn yourself in and explain your situation."

 

"Or they could just kill me on the spot, I don't even know how to turn into a titan," he said.

 

Her fist lowered to her side slowly, her face thoughtful. "I don't think," she spoke in a measured, slow tone, "that someone as useful as a titan will be outright killed."

 

Looking down at the wanted poster, he mulled it over, but it didn't take long. "You're right, even if they want me dead I should be glad to accept. I just wish I had the whole picture, you know?" He said, looking up at her with sadness.

 

She nodded resolutely. "And I will be with you," she said.

 

Excuses started pouring out of his mouth but she silenced him with a hand and a look.

 

"You have saved my life and I do not honestly believe you are an evil person, despite what you have done. With your memory loss I have come to see you as an honest, caring and helpful human being. You are redeemable, no matter what sins we discover you have committed," she said, pausing for a moment before adding, "and in this short time I have come to care for you."

 

Reiners chest tightened. She was right, he couldn't see himself slaughtering innocents, so why did he? Marley, something to do with Marley. "Do you know what Marley is?" he said.

 

"Never heard of it, a person or?" she said.

 

"No, a place. I remembered that much," he said.

 

"Interesting," she watched as he rose to a stand, letting the wanted poster fall to the bed. Soon she was looking into his chest, dark red with dried blood and smelling of sweat and soil, shoulders feeling the weight of his large hands as they clasped them.

 

"You like me?" He said, catching her eye as she tilted her head to look up at him.

 

"I believe I have made that clear, yes," she smiled wryly, "you must be young if you're that full of doubt-" his lips cut her off and her eyes widened.

 

He chuckled when her hands found his shoulders and she returned the kiss with eagerness. She had an earthy taste and an inquisitive tongue that encouraged his own to dance with it. It felt like a blissful eternity before they finally parted. Her lips were swollen, eyes full of lust and her hands had fisted into his shirt.

 

She let out a slow breath, "Mm... You tempt me, boy." She grinned as he visibly took offense to the term and gave his broad chest an affectionate pat. "I kid, but we should get some sleep. Who knows what awaits us tomorrow."

 

"You're right," he focused on calming down and putting the backpack beside the bed. She had the grace to take her boots off but otherwise collapsed into the bed right after.

 

He had begun to lay on the floor when her head turned and she eyed him. "Get on the bed, Reiner," she said.

 

There was no convincing needed, and he soon found himself sleeping back to back with her on the small bed, his feet dangling over the edge.

 

When morning came they had become thoroughly entwined, facing one another. He was squinting, trying to figure out what limb belonged to who, when she slowly pulled her head out from under his chin and smiled sleepily at him.

 

Smiling back felt natural and he did so with gladness in his heart, but it only took a few minutes for reality to loom over their heads once more. Quietly, they untangled from one another and rose to a stand, doing some stretches before getting their boots back on.

 

"I think we should go to the local military police station and see what happens from there," Heida said.

 

Reiner was about to put the backpack on but thought twice and handed it over to her. He was surely going to be put in chains before this day was over, no need to take away her food and money.

 

"But first, lets get some breakfast," she said and both their stomachs rumbled simultaneously.

 

By the time they sat down at a table with stew in front of them, every eye in the room was on them. Heida had spared a quick glance at a mirror and it all became obvious. They both had a whole lot of dried blood on their clothes, at least Reiner had a cloak to sort of cover himself, but she had nothing of the sort.

 

"What do the other guys look like?" A man from a table over asked incredulously.

 

Heida chuckled softly, "bandits. Dead men don't look too good, in case you wonder."

 

"I see," he said, turning back to his friends. Their short conversation seemed to put others around them at ease, and the gentle buzz of life returned to the atmosphere.

 

Reiner smiled beneath his hood before getting back to the task at hand: eating. When they finished Heida had a look of intensity on her face that he hadn't seen before, her lips were a tight line and her eyes were slightly narrowed.

 

"Lets go," he said, standing up. She nodded and followed suit.

 

Together they walked out into the city and saw the continuation of celebration all over. It was all in such stark contrast to what was about to happen to him that Reiner felt detached from reality all the way to the MP station. At the doors, Heida placed a hand on his shoulder and urged him on wordlessly.

 

He took a slow breath. Whatever life he might have been able to lead within the walls and safe from reprisal was about to be wiped off the map. He stepped through the doors when he came to terms with the fact that he personally took away that chance from many, many people. Heida followed.

 

A bored looking man with glasses looked up from his newspaper, placing it to the side and rising to a stand from his chair. "Can I help you?" he said, squinting at he looked at Reiners face and bloody attire.

 

Wordlessly, Reiner placed the wanted poster on the tabletop between himself and the man, pressing it towards him.

 

"What's this," the man muttered, looking from the wanted poster to Reiners face and back again. His eyes bugged when it hit him. "Oh god," he said.

 

Heida stepped up beside Reiner and snapped her fingers to get the officers attention. "You need to inform the Survey Corps immediately. Hello?" She frowned.

 

The man had devolved into a blubbering mess, hands clasped at his front, full body shaking and whispered pleas for mercy directed up at Reiner.

 

Reiner let out a slow sigh, looking around for someone a little more level headed. Another officer appeared and took in the strange sight with a quirked brow. "What's going on here?" She said sharply.

 

"I'm Reiner Braun," he said, and she dropped her clipboard and took off running around a corner. "This isn't going the way I thought it would," he looked at the blubbering man and frowned, "get a grip."

 

When the woman officer came running back with a squad of other officers, all with rifles that were quickly drawn on Reiner, that felt more appropriate.

 

"Reiner Braun! Traitor of humanity, you are hereby under arrest by the military police and will be judged-er-eh?" The woman looked at Heida in confusion, "who are you?" she said.

 

"I'm Heida and I am with him," she jerked her thumb at the man beside her, "we're not going to hurt anyone."

 

"I see," the officer said with narrowed eyes.

 

Heida caught the two sets of shackles tossed to her deftly.

 

"Remove any weapons you and him have, bind his hands and then your own," the officer ordered.

 

"Alright," Heida pulled back Reiner's cloak to get at the knife on his belt, placing it on the tabletop, followed by her own. She shackled Reiner's hands behind his back and then hers at her front. "Done," she said.

 

They were promptly swarmed and dragged off to separate holding cells, where they sat on lumpy cots and stared across the way at one another.

 

Heida tried to wait for the guards outside Reiners cell to leave but it turned out they were being rotated, and each one of them looked very nervous. "No matter what happens these next few days Reiner, I'm proud of you," she said.

 

"Hey! No talking!" One guard spluttered.

 

"You can barely keep from pissing your pants, what are you going to do?" Heida sneered.

 

"Easy Heida," Reiner said, making a placating gesture with his hands, "we'll see what happens."

 

It actually took several days for anything at all to happen, aside from being given regular meals, but when it did, it was fast and furious.

 

Heida jerked to a stand when a short man in with a green cloak with the wings of freedom on it fluttered into view, quick as lightning. She walked up to the bars and curled her fingers around them, listening to his hushed words. She also noted he was wearing full ODM gear.

 

"Reiner Braun," the man said.

 

"Captain Levi," Reiner rose to a stand.

 

"I don't know why you turned yourself in, but I do know that you are going to die painfully," he spoke in a low, matter-of-fact tone.

 

"I accept whatever fate has in store for me," Reiner said, solemn.

 

"He doesn't remember anything," Heida spoke up, stomach dropping when Levi, humanity's strongest soldier, rounded on her.

 

"Who are you?" He said.

 

"Heida," she gulped.

 

"And your association with Braun is...?" He said.

 

"I found him and took care of him when he was ill, sorta," she shrugged.

 

"She isn't a part of anything I have done," Reiner said, clasping the bars with his hands.

 

In a movement that was almost beyond the human eyes ability to perceive, Levi spun and unsheathed one of his swords, the bars letting out a loud clank as its blade made contact. He faced Heida as Reiner's fingers clattered to the floor and Reiner stumbled backwards with a gasp.

 

"Reiner!" Heida shouted, baring her teeth at Levi, "he didn't do anything! He came to you quietly!" She found herself staring at the blade of his sword resting against her forehead.

 

"Maybe I should take yours off too, to make sure you aren't another titan infiltrator.  I'm sure you won't mind," he spoke as though he was discussing dinner.

 

Heida reflexively took her hands off the bars. "I am not a titan," she said, "this man saved my life and I am here to speak on his behalf."

 

"Reiner Braun saved your life?" He repeated, looking bored.

 

"Yes, he did," she pointed to her bloodied shirt. "He doesn't remember anything, he only just the other day remembered his name," she said.

 

"Interesting," he said, turning to face Reiner, his blade finding its way to its sheath.

 

Heidas eyes widened as she looked at Reiner, who was holding up his steaming hands. There was a look in his eyes, like something dark had taken root in his thoughts.

 

"Thinking twice about playing nice?" Levi tilted his head.

 

"Don't hurt her," Reiner warned, voice a low growl.

 

"I see," Levi said. Maybe he took Reiners warning to heart, because he changed the subject. "You are going to be brought to the Survey Corps headquarters and kept chained underground until my superiors decide your fate."

 

"And me?" Heida said.

 

"And? You are going to be allowed to go home, despite your affiliation with the traitor," Levi said, not looking at her.

 

"No," she said firmly.

 

"No?" He turned to look at her then, eyes narrowed. "You want to be chained up and be beheaded, which is surely what will happen to him?"

 

"I said I was going to speak on his behalf and I will do just that," she said, gifting him with a glare.

 

"Heida, you should go home," Reiner said gently, flexing his newly regrown fingers. "I would feel much better about this if you did, your words won't sway anyone."

 

Heida gaped at his hands before sliding a mask of cool indifference over her face. "I said I will be coming, and that is what I will be doing," she said.

 

"It's your head," Levi shrugged and turned away, "I hope I get to be your executioner, Reiner. She says you don't remember, is this true?" He said.

 

"Pieces are coming back but no, I do not remember," Reiner said.

 

"Not even your traitor friend, Bertolt?"

 

Reiners hand shot out to grip the bars, a look of pain coming over him. "B-bertolt.." His friend. His companion. Fellow warrior. Bertolt. "Yes," he gasped.

 

Levi let the silence hang until it was uncomfortable, before slicing it cruelly. "He is dead. Eaten by Armin, the new colossal titan," he said.

 

Reiner swallowed and stepped back, closing his eyes as grief filled him. "What happened?"

 

Levi kept an even tone, but it was apparent he was glad Reiner asked. "You and your pals, Bertolt, the beast titan and some other small titan had a trap waiting for the Survey Corps in Shiganshina. You were defeated quickly, but Eren grabbed your human body and flung it into the sky in a rage. We won the battle, Bertolt was eaten by Armin and the remaining titans escaped," he paused, glaring at Reiner, "there were 9 of us who remained in the end."

 

Reiner had stepped away from the bars and sank down to the edge of his bed, a hand covering his face.

 

Heida let out the breath she was holding, so the Survey Corps had almost been annihilated. Maybe there really was no redemption for Reiner, not if those who remained got to choose anyway.

 

"We figured just falling from the sky wasn't going to kill you, seeing as you survived having your head blown off; so we put up the wanted posters, and now you're here," Levi said.

 

"I wont fight," Reiner said, voice gravelly.

 

"I'm still coming," Heida said.

 

"We leave tonight," Levi turned on his heel and swooped out as fast as he had arrived.

 

Heida sat on her bed and digested the new information slowly, her morals and feelings warring.

 

"Are you sure you can care about a monster like me?" Reiner said, staring at the floor between his feet.

 

"Yes," she did not hesitate, the situation had only filled a new well of resolve.

 

That night the both of them were escorted out of the building, shackled together and had sacks put over their heads. Apparently word had got around fast, because they were met with angry shouting, curses and rocks being thrown at them through the length of the entire town. Heida hissed when one sliced her cheek through the sack and Reiner leaned over her, trying to deflect as much as he could.

 

They were both bloodied, though Reiner healed faster than they could injure him, by the time they were on the open road. Heida was leaning into Reiner heavily, recovering from the pain of being pelted.

 

"You did decide to come along," he said softly.

 

"I did," she said.

 

"No talking," Captain Levi said across from them.

 

From there on they rode in silence, ate in silence and pissed in silence. Heida was sure her ass was going to fall off from the merciless jostling, it felt like heaven when the wagon finally reached its destination and rolled into a permanent stop.

 

They were cautiously lowering to the ground from the wagon when a commotion happened.

 

"REINER!" A male voice roared.

 


	2. Chapter 2

"Eren," Reiner said calmly as he came to stand beside Heida, shifting to shield her from whatever was coming.

 

"I'll kill you, traitor!" Eren was close now, his feet hitting the ground at a hard run.

 

Everything screeched to a halt, Levis voice cutting the air like a knife, "Eren. Not sure why you are out of your cell, but I suggest you go back to it."

 

"He killed-" Eren said.

 

"Doesn't matter," Levi cut him off, "the traitor came willingly, his fate is not for us to decide and we will not butcher him like this."

 

Heida felt the tension in the air, doubly so with no sense of sight to see body language, the silence was deafening.

 

Eren turned and walked away, "they won't let him live," he hissed.

 

_So that is Eren, the titan on our side,_ Heida thought. She caught herself thinking of him as a hothead, but set aside the thought firmly. His friends were butchered, how could she know the kind of feelings associated with that?

 

She felt a tug at the rope attached to her chains and followed along, Reiner close behind. She could feel the eyes on her, and not a one was friendly. It was concentrated, barely controlled hatred, it gave her chills.

 

Eventually they were placed in cells, hoods removed and chains replaced by ones connected to the walls. It was damp and musty, and Heida crinkled her nose at it. It was too bad there had been no time to enjoy nature and sunshine before coming to the city, she lamented.  _I hope that Jakes farm is taken care of,_ she thought, shoulders drooping from the weight of sudden sadness.

 

"How do you like your new home?" Reiner asked, sounding like he was just one cell over.

 

"A little damp, a little dark, but it will do," Heida admitted.

 

"Why are you talking to him?!" Eren shouted from down the hall, apparently more than a few cells over.

 

"We're friends," Heida said.

 

"How could you? He's killed so many," Erens voice sounded defeated.

 

"He doesn't remember," she said, "I have come to know him for who he really is."

 

"He's a traitor," Eren hissed, the sound of him hitting something echoed down the halls.

 

_Conversation with this guy is pointless,_ Heida thought, dismissing him.

 

"Heida," Reiner said, "how old are you anyway?"

 

She smirked, "22."

 

"I see," he said.

 

She lay in bed, counting the bricks in the ceiling.  _Have I really seen who he is though?_ She wondered.  _It was only a few days, hardly time to really get a deep read on someone._ She frowned at the thought. No, this was an extenuating circumstance, he was at his purest when he did not remember.

 

Days past, or was it weeks? It felt like years. Heida was officially restless. Conversation was sparing, with Eren occasionally flipping his lid over it. It seemed that Reiner was getting bits and pieces of memories back, and he seemed to be more disturbed with every little revelation about himself.

 

Finally, a woman in the Survey Corps outfit appeared, staring at Heida through thick glasses, though one eye was obscured with a bandage.

 

Heida blinked. "Hello," she said.

 

"You are Heida," the woman said, nodding to confirm before getting an answer. "We will speak to you now," she said, a keyring appearing in her hands. Deftly, she opened the cell and tossed a pair of manacles on the bed before undoing the wall manacles. "Put those on," she instructed.

 

Heida did as told and found herself following this woman through the dark until they were above ground again. She blinked owlishly when lead into a bright room with a large table, several other people already seated and talking quietly. All conversation stopped as she was made to sit in a chair. She felt the hair on her neck stand up at all the focused attention, and tried to get as much detail as she could. The only faces that were familiar were Captain Levi and the woman who brought her, but their outfits suggested that they were high ranking members of the other military branches.

 

"Gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice. May I introduce you to Heida," the woman said as she sat across from her.

 

"Hange, why are we interviewing her? This girl has no involvement in the military and as far as you can tell, had nothing to do with the betrayers attack on humanity," one man, dressed in Garrison regalia, said.

 

"I believe her testimony is very important to consider as we move forward," Hange said, resting her elbows on the table and clasping her hands infront of her mouth.

 

Silence stretched on between them before the man in the Military Police outfit cleared his throat. "Well?" He said, looking at Heida.

 

"Ah," Heida said awkwardly, "well, you see."

 

"Tell us how you met Reiner Braun," Hange swirled her finger in the air, wishing for the conversation to flow faster than this.

 

And so Heida told them, from carrying his ass to digging his grave to defending from the bandits, she told them everything. Except for her private attraction, of course.

 

"And you never once worried for your safety, once you knew who he really was?" Hange said.

 

"No. I fully believe that this is a good man who is worthy of redemption and that he could be helpful to humanity," Heida said.

 

"He was directly involved in the slaughter of thousands," the Garrison Commander said firmly.

 

"He purposefully infiltrated our military which led up to the decimation of the Survey Corps," the Military Police Commander glanced at Hange.

 

"Indeed, all grave crimes," Hange, Commander of the Survey Corps, said.

 

Heida shifted in her seat nervously under their gaze.

 

"When this is over Heida," Hange said, "what do you plan on doing?"

 

"Depends on how it goes," Heida shrugged, "if you decide to kill Reiner anyways, I guess I'll try to go back to living my life. If not, I would like to be of use," she said.

 

"You may be the only friend Reiner Braun has within these walls," Hange said.

 

"You can't seriously be considering allowing him to live?" The Garrison Commander blurted, astonished.

 

"It is not for me alone to decide, but I am inclined to believe the evidence before me." Hange leaned back in her chair. "The power of the titans is no small thing, were the armored titan to come to our side..." She let it hang.

 

The other Commanders shifted uncomfortably.

 

Heida took a chance then, leaning forwards and eyeing Hange. "Do you know the name Marley?"

 

Hanges demeanor changed in an instant, a wild glint appearing in her eye. "What about Marley?" She said.

 

"It's a place, but Reiner can't remember anything about it," Heida said.

 

"I see," Hange smoothed over her features and nodded slowly. "I think we have all that we need from you, Heida. You will be returned to your cell until this matter is sorted," she said.

 

Heida nodded and rose to her feet, lead out of the room and back to her cell by a lower ranking member of the Survey Corps.

 

She laid in bed and let out a slow breath.  _That went better than I thought it would,_ she thought.

 

"How'd it go?" Reiner asked a moment later, subtle tension in his voice.

 

"Well don't hold your breath but I think it went well," she said, jumping a little at the sound of something being hit down the hall. Eren again.

 

"Alright," Reiner said.

 

Later, Reiner was summoned as well. Though Captain Levi himself and several Corps members carrying strange looking spears escorted him.

 

Heida saw his face when he came back and thought he seemed paler than usual.

 

"How did it go?" She wondered out loud when Levi and the escort were gone.

 

"It went," Reiner replied, voice tired.

 

"It'll be alright," she said, feeling sadness creep into her heart.

 

They were eating breakfast the next morning, a watery soup with a few potatos and carrots floating in it, when Captain Levi appeared. "You are being sentenced shortly, eat your last meal, quick," he said.

 

Heida stiffened, glaring daggers at the backs of the escort unit. She listened to Reiner being unshackled and reshackled, heart rate rising and rising until it was pounding in her ears when Reiner walked by.

 

He looked at her, peace on his features. "Promise me you will move on, Heida," he said.

 

"Let me come with!" Heida shouted after them, but was thoroughly ignored. Upset, she swallowed hard and sat down, wiping away unbidden tears.

 

"You're no better than him," Eren spoke from down the hall.

 

"Funny," she said, "you're on their side and they still keep you in a cage. Ever wonder why, Eren?" When it was clear he was keeping silent, she continued, "you never should have come upon the power of the titans. You're one step shy of a monster yourself. But the worst part is you clearly think you're in the right no matter what. At least  _he_ feels remorse!" Her words ended in a venemous hiss.

 

Eren did not answer.

 

Heida was glad of this. If she had to listen to one more  _traitor_ rant, she'd start rooting for the titans. In no time she was pacing, shackles shifting and clinking, waiting for the seemingly inevitible announcement.

 

She almost didn't notice when a younger Corps member walked up to her cage and started unlocking it silently. Swallowing at the hard lump forming in her throat, she stared hard at the young man, willing him to say something, anything, as he unlocked her manacles and gestured for her to follow.

 

Clenching her teeth, she held her shoulders rigid as they tried to heave, forcing one foot after the other as they walked up into the castle and out into the courtyard. The sunlight blinded her temporarily, and she staggered after the younger man with eyes squinted.

 

"Hey," a familiar voice called, "where are you going? I'm over here," Reiner said.

 

Tears poured down her face as she turned to face Reiner, who was standing with the spear squad, Captain Levi and Hange. "Oh," she said, stumbling over and giving him a hug so tight his ribs made popping sounds. She was oblivious to all the disgusted and incredulous looks.

 

"Take it easy," Reiner said. Hands bound behind his back, he settled for being man handled and cried on.

 

Commander Hange cleared her throat after a few moments, and Heida stepped backwards, blushing and wiping at her eyes before giving the Commander her attention.

 

"Reiner has you to thank for his life being given to him this day, Heida," Hange said. "I have also taken your desires into account. You have the choice to stay or go, though your role is unclear if you do decide to stay."

 

All eyes were on Heida now, and she cleared her throat while straightening up. "I will stay, I'm sure we can work something out. The Survey Corps needs people," she said.

 

"I have some ideas," Hange said, eyeing the woman intently. "Yes, I think I know what to do."

 

Hange was getting some strange looks, especially from Levi.

 

"You," Hange pointed at Reiner fiercely, "are going to train Heida here how to use ODM gear and to be useful."

 

"Me?" Reiner said, a dumb look on his face.

 

"No one trusts you, and why would they? This girl is literally the only person within these walls that does. You can start working on trust with  _us_ by doing as I say and starting with this one small thing," Hange said matter-of-factly.

 

"What about," Levi gestured at the spear unit.

 

"They will stay nearby, for now," Hange said, "but the sooner we can trust him the better. We need every member of the Survey Corps available."

 

Heida took a deep breath, enjoying the air and this new lease on life. The future was uncertain if she went back home, this was something definitive and the sense of being a part of a greater whole had potential.

 

Reiner nodded slowly, glancing between Heida and Hange. "When do we begin?"

 

"Tomorrow," Hange said. "You're going back to Shadis' training camp. I suspect there are triggers to getting your memory to come back faster, I'd like to find them sooner than later."

 

Reiner had no idea what half of that meant, but he nodded all the same.

 

True to her word, Hange had them on a wagon first thing in the morning, still eating their breakfast and dressed in basic Survey Corps outfits.

 

"I can't believe we have to watch you," one of the four spearmen sitting across from Reiner and Heida muttered. No one else spoke, but there was a definite sense of agreement between them.

 

Reiner shrugged, "you'll be fine."

 

"I wonder when they let Eren know," Heida wondered out loud.

 

"Hopefully when we're far, far away," one of the men shivered.

 

Heida regarded him intently. "So you're afraid of him," she said.

 

"You were down there with him, did he sound rational to you?" He sneered.

 

"No," she frowned, "he did not."

 

Eventually, they crested a hill that revealed the training camp below them. Reiner leaned forwards, eyes shut tightly, making a pained noise.

 

"You alright Reiner?" Heida glanced from the camp to him and put two and two together quickly.

 

As the vision of the training grounds of the 104 th faded from his sight, all its members, their names and their deaths forcefully imprinted themselves back onto his memory, he nodded grimly. "Yes," he lied.

 

Training started as soon as their feet hit the dirt, Reiner barking at Heida, "get geared up for a run, meet back here in 3 minutes!"

 

"Err," Heida stammered, "I have no idea where the gear is, or what it is."

 

"Ah," he paused, "I'll show you around first, now that I think about it." He was surprised when one of the spear unit removed his manacles, looking up at him as though he would change into a raging hulk at any second. Reiner, of course, did not.

 

So she got the rundown of the whole place, from the sleeping quarters to the mess hall, and thoroughly grilled on the gear she was expected to pack in a backpack for running and general exercises, but also a brief introduction to the ODM gear that she would be flying around on soon enough.

 

Standing infront of the sleeping quarters, Reiner observed the sinking sun thoughtfully. "Too late for a run now," he said.

 

Heida felt relieved. "That's good, legs are still sore from the trip anyway," she said. She jumped when a heavy hand fell on her back.

 

"Plenty of time for some combat!" Reiner exclaimed and dragged her off to the nearby training grounds.

 

Heida found herself staring up at Reiner, quietly admiring the way his muscles bunched when he readied his fists. Absently, she echoed the movement.

 

"I've never seen you fight with your fists," he said, "lets see what you got." He charged.

 

Her eyes bugged at the freight train coming, the world seemed to enter slow motion as she considered the situation. It was not unlike the time an angry buck charged her.  _But what did I do that time? Ah, right,_ she remembered, a smile pulling at her lips as Reiner entered her range.

 

Nimbly, she leaped upwards, looping her arms under his chin and landing on his back. Of course she leaped into a tree after in the bucks case, but it wasn't much of a stretch to adjust and put him in a choke. Her arms curled like wirey bands of steel around his solid neck.

 

She let out a gasp when he flexed his neck muscles, breaking her choke hold as he got his hands on her arms and slammed her down to the ground, a puff of dust erupting from under her body. Weakly, she reached upwards with a hand before it too flopped back to the dirt.

 

"Not bad," Reiner said, not phased in the slightest. "But you're probably not going to get away with chokes on me, with the size difference," he smirked.

 

The whole spear unit was watching, snickering and nudging one another.

 

She accepted a hand up and staggered to her feet, "alright," she nodded and raised her fists.

 

He charged again, threatening to tackle her down.

 

She ducked beneath his charge and sprung upwards as his center of mass passed overhead, kicking up with her legs and a little roar as she caught him on her shoulder and used his momentum to throw him bodily.

 

As Reiner landed on his back, a plume of dust rising around his body, the spear unit fell silent.

 

Swaggering over, pointedly looking at the audience, she offered him a hand up and smiled.

 

He took her hand and stood, "you remind me of Annie," he said, a pained look on his face.

 

"Was Annie any good?" Heida said.

 

"Oh yeah," he chuckled. "She knew how to use a bigger opponents strength, she was excellent," he said.

 

"Show me," Heida said, an intense look on her face.

 

"I will," he patted her shoulder, "but for now I want you to do what feels natural and see where your skills are."

 

"Alright," taking a few steps away, she threw her fists up once again.

 

"Your turn to come after me," he made a  _come get it_ gesture with his hands.

 

She leaped forwards without hesitation, hoping to catch him offguard. No such thing happened. Her fist met his gut, hitting a solid wall of granite-like abs, while she ducked under a heavy handed swing, pain bloomed in her hand as she swung around behind him and offered a kick to his lower back.

 

Her leg bounced off as he spun around with a hand outstretched, trying to catch the offending limb, to which she lifted it straight upwards, bringing her foot level with his head. She leaned forwards then as his eyes widened in surprise, giving him a weak kick to the face.

 

They both staggered back from one another, Reiners hand going to his face and her one hand cradling the other. When he shook his head and squared up again she laughed at the dirty boot print on his face.

 

"You haven't taken me down yet," he growled, golden eyes bright. It was like he was coming alive.

 

She felt it too, the adrenaline rush of victory and the threat of defeat looming.  _You just can't let him get a hold of you,_ she thought. Easier said than done, of course. She lunged again, entering his range lightning quick. There had to be a way to get the legs of the ox to move.

 

A fist closely related to a sledgehammer came swinging at her face, and she ducked to avoid it as before, failing to notice the knee coming up at the same time. All the breath left her lungs as he drove his knee into her stomach. She made an undignified noise and shoved off of his body, staggering back and sucking in air greedily.

 

He held his hands out and smiled teasingly, showing off his unblemished self.

 

She shook a finger at him, panting for a few seconds before being able to speak again, "do you have a suggestion?"

 

"You need to get my legs out from under me," he grinned.

 

She hissed out a breath and charged again, ragged and reckless. Coming at his middle was out of the question, her lungs might pop if they took another kneeing like that. Wrangling his top half just wasn't happening either. Flying forwards, she dodged the same fist, but swung to the opposite side and avoided the knee, skirting around his inactive arm and getting in behind him. She dropped to a crouch and kicked off the ground with her legs, knocking into the back of his knees and lifting as hard as she could.

 

Her efforts were rewarded with him falling over her backwards and landing in the dirt with a grunt. "Good," he said, getting to his feet quickly.

 

Sweat was pouring down her temples and she was breathing heavily as she turned to face him. Was he even sweating? What was this fresh hell? Still, she wasn't one to give up, she squared off and waited for his attack.

 

"That's enough for now," he chuckled and thumbed over his shoulder. "It's already dark," he said.

 

In truth, the spearmen had already left to go to bed and visibility was getting low.

 

"Oh, alright," she said. She began to fall forwards but his arm steadied her, and he took the time to guide her right to bed in the otherwise empty woman sleeping quarters.

 

"Running tomorrow morning," he said, throwing a blanket over her after tugging her shoes off and putting them beside the bed. "Sleep well!" She was probably asleep before he said anything.

 

When the first rays of the sun dared to peek over the horizon, Heida was standing geared and ready for the run by the time Reiner staggered out of the male sleeping quarters. She was even freshly showered, it was sickening.

 

"Looks like I wasn't hard enough on you last night, I'll remember that," he said with a wicked smile as she paled.

 

She grit her teeth, most of her body was a bruise, but she wasn't going to point that out.

 

"I set the pace for running, try and keep up," he said, taking off a second later.

 

Running was relaxing, running was natural, Heida liked running. Even with the weight of the gear she kept her pace equal to her would be instructor, side eyeing him. "I thought this training would be challenging, Reiner. I'm not a child, you know," she teased gently.

 

He eyed her back, eyes glinting in the sun. All of the sudden he started deepening his stride and pulling ahead quickly, it was up to her to accept the challenge.

 

She drove her sore legs hard, as hard as she would go when sprinting after prey, and caught up to him again.

 

He did a double take when he saw her back beside him again, tilting his body forwards for more momentum and pushing himself to the limit.

 

She laughed breathlessly and streaked after him, by the time the run was over they were both staggering and collapsing.

 

"That," Reiner heaved, "was probably a record for this place."

 

Heida tried to look smug but she was too busy trying to hold down the water she drank for breakfast.

 

Reiner recovered fairly quickly but gave her an extra minute before thumbing over his shoulder, "lets get some food."

 

Not ready to speak yet, she nodded and wobbled after him.

 

There were no cooks or staff at the facility at the current time, so they cobbled together some food for themselves with the supplies from the wagon, the spear unit would have to fend for themselves.

 

"What else are we doing today?" Heida tore into a chunk of bread with gusto, looking up at Reiner on the opposite side of the table.

 

He thoughtfully chewed his food, swallowing before talking. "Introduction to ODM gear and some of the basic etiquette of dealing with senior officers."

 

"Sounds easy enough," she took a swig of water, eyeing him.

 

"Maybe another round of combat in the evening," he said, offering a small smirk.

 

Her shoulders visibly deflated.

 

She took to the ODM balance test with a fair amount of ease, she was a naturally graceful person so it came as no surprise. Reiner grilled her about how to give proper salutes, how to address superiors and how to follow orders without fail.

 

That evening she stood across from him on the training grounds, fists raised. "I thought the Survey Corps just fights titans, Reiner. What's the point of this?" She said.

 

Reiner sobered, staring down at her intensely. "Because Marley is out there, humans who want to kill you are out there, and the titans they control are their best weapons. Marley will come again," he said.

 

"So you remember more," she said.

 

"A little," he admitted, glancing at the four men watching them.

 

"Alright," she nodded, letting it go and holding her fists up.

 

He walked up to her and grabbed her wrist in one hand, standing there with it.

 

She looked up at him, questioning.

 

"Something a little different tonight, try to get out of the hold," he said.

 

When she tried to slip through it, he clenched his fist until her bones creaked from the pressure. She gave up that method for fear of her wrist exploding, opting to slam her body up against his and trying to hip toss him. He was too well grounded and tall, like a tree with deep roots.

 

Her mouth opened slightly as the thought of biting him flickered through her head, but he gave her a funny look and she decided against that. Instead, she kneed him where it counted while he was distracted. He bowled over with a gasp, letting her go as the spearmen made sympathetic noises.

 

"That was dirty!" One shouted.

 

Heida took a long step back, sure to be well out of retributions reach. "He could've seen it coming if he was paying attention," she said.

 

He recovered with a frightful quickness, which she attributed to his healing ability, and glared daggers her way before visibly settling down. "She's right," he admitted. He leaped forwards so fast there was no time to react, catching her head between his body and arm and sealing her in place. "Get out of this," he said.

 

She tried pulling, prodding, kicking and flailing to no avail. "There is no getting out of this," she muttered, panting.

 

At once, he let go. "Yes, there isn't. If someone my size gets their hands on you, your chances of getting out are not good, maybe none at all," he said in a somber tone.

 

Heida stared, indignant, until she came to acceptance with the lesson. She was already doing her best to not be touched, this was just a dose of reality.

 

"And titans," he frowned, "titans don't care about bows, arrows or knives."

 

Heida chuckled then, "guess I better be good at the ODM gear huh?"

 

He turned on her, glaring balefully, "this is serious Heida, your life is in jeopardy as soon as we leave here."

 

"Easy," she said, raising her hand in peace. "It's just hard to take them seriously when I've never seen one, Reiner."

 

A light seemed to flick on in his eyes, and he smiled then. "That's true."

 

They spent until sundown practicing doing holds and breaking them, with him easing off enough for her to actually complete the lesson.

 

Next morning, showered and ready, Heida stood directly in front of the door to the mens sleeping quarters. Reiner almost collided with her, he had opened the door while rubbing his eyes and walking out. He stilled when she placed a hand on his chest.

 

"Morning?" He said groggily.

 

"Yes, morning," Heida chuckled and leaned forwards, planting a kiss on his clothed chest and turning away before he could react.

 

He was frozen, color rising in his cheeks, before he stiffly turned around and went right back into the building, slamming the door behind him.

 

"Hm, unexpected," Heida muttered.

 

A few minutes later he strode back out, a wicked grin on his face. "Get the ODM gear, suit up and meet me in the field over there," he pointed and took off walking briskly.

 

Quirking a brow, she did as told. ODM gear was all but useless in a field, even she as an amateur knew that, so what was the deal here? A sense of anxiety began to build in her as she walked through the morning fog and into the field. Also, why were the spearmen not hovering around him like always?

 

Reiner was standing there watching the sunrise, he honestly looked so majestic it gave her pause. She decided to give him a sharp salute, but was waved off. Coming to stand beside him she watched the sunrise too, the quiet was peaceful.

 

"You're probably wondering why you are in a field with ODM gear," he said softly.

 

"A little," she admitted.

 

"When you said you had never seen a titan, I knew what needed to be done then," he glanced at her, gauging her reaction.

 

Her skin goosebumped all over, and she swallowed nervously. "That why the spear guys aren't here?" she said.

 

"I talked to them," he said with a sneer, "seems they aren't actually that brave."

 

Heida chuckled softly, enjoying how his hair looked in the early sun, like spun gold, and the look in his warm, intelligent eyes. "What is my mission?" she said.

 

"You are going to do two things: practice your ODM gear on me and see a titan. Don't forget what I told you about momentum too," he said.

 

"Alright, ah, should I step back or something?" She wondered out loud. Titans were big, after all.

 

"Nah. Oh, one more thing," he said, "once you get the hang of the gear, use your blades on my neck. I expect you to break all of them."

 

"Your neck?! But that kills titans!" She shouted as the air itself seemed to ignite, wind howling so hard she shielded her eyes and slid backwards. As the dust and debris settled down, she froze with her arm over her eyes. There was a sense of a large presence, and the seconds of silence ticked away before she finally found her nerve, lowered her arm and looked up. Way up.

 

15 meters tall, the armored titan was looking back with golden eyes and a mop of blond hair.

 

Stunned, she stared openly over the heavily muscled and plated form of Reiners titan. A primal terror had her rooted to the spot, the prey caught by the predator. Trying to shake the fear left her trembling, heart rate rising until it was pounding in her ears.

 

A massive hand waved at her before pointing at his eyes insistently.

 

Panting, she took in the gesture and forcefully reminded herself on repeat that this was Reiner, not just any titan, but Reiner. Her heart slowed down and she began to take in the details of his form in a further effort to deconstruct the fear. The plates and muscles beneath combined to make a work of art, she decided, it was beautiful. Reiner was beautiful.

 

Resolve bloomed in her chest and she started walking away, forcefully shutting her gaping mouth, "I'm not hitting your neck!" She shouted up at him.

 

He took a long step back, the ground quivering as he came to face her, massive hands rising to make a gesture to bring it on.

 

"I'm doing this," she muttered repeatedly, shifting from one foot to the other as she slowly grabbed hold of the ODM gears guns. "I'm doing this!" She roared and fired at him.

 

The wires were actually going to fall short of hitting him but he brought his arm up and caught them for her sake.

 

"Aaaaah!" She rocketed through the air, swinging from his arm and up above his head while he stood there sedately. _Remember what he said,_ she thought. Well, he wouldn't tell her to do it if it could actually kill him, would he? Shrugging to herself, she took aim at the neck and drew her blades, braid flickering after her as she lunged.

 

The contact of her blades on the armored plates of the titan sent numbing shocks up her arm, and sparks flying from the points of contact. Her blades were still in tact and she almost went falling to the ground in her distraction, swinging up to his shoulder and resting her hands on her knees. "This is harder than it looks! Also, I can't break these blades," she said.

 

He turned his head just enough to eye her from the corner of his eye.

 

Her eyes widened when his hand rose up to try and grab for her, she nimbly danced across his back out of reach. "Alright!" She shouted, dropping down off his back into a swing that brought her back up for another attack at his neck.

 

He had begun to actively take grabs at her, even catching her wires in hand and dangling her in front of his mouth as a decidedly terrifying lesson of where to avoid shooting. By the time they were done she was drenched with sweat and certain her arms would no longer function. She landed on the ground, dropping her blunted, unbroken swords to the grass and falling to her knees.

 

The armored titan knelt down, steam beginning to surge from its body as Reiner struggled his way out of its neck. Tired but pleased, he walked down the arm he left stretched out and approached Heida. "Good job, really. I am surprised," he said, sitting down heavily in the grass beside her.

 

She sounded defeated, refusing to look at him, "I didn't break any blades."

 

"I didn't expect you to," he gave her shoulder a tentative pat,"it's enough you faced your fear and learned some practical use of the ODM gear."

 

Her shoulder lost its tension beneath his hand, a breath of relief escaping her. "Good," she said.

 

He watched the rise and fall of her chest quietly, in her exhaustion she looked peaceful. He thought he could even get used to this, before reality whispered in his ear, _there is no hope for you, your time is limited._

 

Her lips curled into a wicked smile and she turned her head to look at him directly. "Hey Reiner," she said.

 

"Yeah?" He said, quirking a brow.

 

"Anyone ever tell you your titan is pretty?"

 

Cheeks coloring a bright red, he stammered, "What?"

 

"You heard me," she grinned, "not as good looking as you, of course."

 

"That's a first, I think," he muttered before reaching over and pulling her into his lap.

 

She made a pained sound but settled quickly, stretching her legs out and resting her head against his chest.

 

He curled his arms around her and let out a contented sigh.

 

Mesmerized by the close proximity of muscular arms, she ran her fingers over his forearms and enjoyed the softness of his skin and the steel of the muscles beneath.

 

"Careful," he murmured, eyes half closed.

 

She relented, far too tired for anything more primal than a cuddle.

 

With time and reluctance they slowly separated and stood back up. Heida retrieved her blades and sheathed them while looking at the space the titan once occupied. "Huh, neat," she said.

 

"What is neat?" Reiner looked where she was looking in confusion.

 

"The titan decaying so fast, very neat," she said.

 

"I guess so," he shrugged. That was something he'd been used to for a long time, but he didn't think he ever considered it neat, of all things. Then again this woman thought his titan was pretty, there was no accounting for taste. He chuckled quietly.

 

One of the spearmen caught them on their way to the mess hall. "Oh hey, you're alive!" he said, looking absolutely shocked.

 

"Is there a reason why I wouldn't be alive?" Heida looked at him deadpan.

 

"w-I mean- he- you," he stumbled along verbally before gesturing at Reiner, "he's a titan and you're...you."

 

"Hey," Heida threw her hands up, "you could've seen the action yourself but... you're you."

 

Reiner let out a deep laugh.

 

The mans eyes widened and he quickly walked away.

 

"I'll make you lunch for that," Reiner wiped the tears of joy from his eyes.

 

"Alright," she smiled and walked the rest of the way with him.

 

Heidas training progressed well over the next few weeks, and Reiner found that she preferred working with his titan form over the dummies in the woods. They were not a challenge at all, she had said. Occasionally they would steal a kiss or a cuddle, usually after their field training when the spearmen didn't show up. When they did show up, it turned out they were very unnerved.

 

A man arrived on a horse one day, coming from the direction of the Survey Corps headquarters. Everyone came out to greet him and see what was going on.

 

"Commander Hange requires a status update from you," he passed out plain parchment to Reiner and the leader of the spears, "you'll have to find a pen of your own. I will leave this afternoon so have it ready by then."

 

"Right," Reiner muttered as he was walking away. What did Hange want to hear, he wondered? He supposed he would just break down how the training was going and his use of the titan form as a part of it.

 

Everyone had their updates ready in time for the messenger, then returned to the usual flow. The spearmen had taken to all but ignoring Reiner and playing cards in the mess hall all day, which left him with plenty of time to get his hands on Heida, a pass-time he had only begun to enjoy thoroughly.

 

On the night of a full moon, after a hard round of training in the combat yard, Reiner gestured for Heida to follow him.

 

"Where to?" Heida followed with jelly legs, clasping his hand in hers as they entered a thicket of trees.

 

"I want to show you something," he smiled, leading the way by memory. Many memories had come back, and he looked upon his former self as a broken, conflicted man. It felt better to distance himself from the never ending inner conflict and view it clinically as an observer.

 

"We better be making sweet love if you're making me walk this far after beating up one another," her voice had a light, teasing tone.

 

He chuckled, helping her through some barbed wire before following with some difficulty. "Haven't gone through here in a while, must have grown some more," he said.

 

"You could just walk over it, you know," she said matter-of-factly.

 

"Next time," he resumed holding her hand and lead her to the cliff he and Bertolt had once lead Eren, a lifetime ago. His stomach still clenched when he thought of Bertolt.

 

"Wow," she said, staring out at the moon hanging lazily over the glittering lake.

 

He was busy staring at her though, the way the moonlight bounced off her skin and eyes had turned her into a glowing night goddess.

 

Maybe she felt his eyes on her, because she slowly turned her head and returned his hungry gaze.

 

He felt a familiar rush as his blood went south, brushing his thumb along her jaw tenderly. He wondered what it would feel like to curl his fingers through her hair, or maybe grab her braid.

 

"Reiner..." Her voice had taken on a rough quality, "whatever you're thinking, just do it."

 

The hairs on his arms stood up at the suggestion, and he calmed his hands enough to turn her towards him and begin to remove her jacket. "You're sure," he muttered.

 

She reached up and started stripping him down too, and after a few more seconds of clunkily trying to strip one another they took theirs hands off eachother and flung their clothes to the ground themselves. They ended up standing naked infront of one another.

 

Heida took a second to admire her own hardened physique before raking her eyes over Reiner from toe to head. Was there a muscle in his body that wasn't defined? She didn't think so. Her hands found his chest and slowly slid down it, over his washboard abs and lower.

 

His eyes were blown with lust, and his voice had turned into a low rumble that sent shocks through her body, "I've been waiting for this," he said, his hands clasping around her bare shoulders as hers curled around his cock.

 

"You've been very patient," she murmured, pressing her body up against his and giving his bare chest a kiss, "let me reward you."

 

He groaned as her hands left his pulsing cock already, gripping his thighs. Confusion filled him as she began to kiss her way down his abs, until her mouth touched his cock and his mouth flew open in a quiet gasp, hands grabbing her head.

 

With a hand, she guided one of his hands to grab a hold of her braid before returning to the task at hand.

 

Feeling her mouth close around his cock made his whole body freeze, muscles tense as pleasure jolted through him, her tongue lathing and lips stroking. As soon as one of her hands went between his legs and began to massage his balls, he gently pulled her head back by the braid. "We're not going to be doing anything if you keep this up," he warned.

 

He had hoped for a wild second that she wouldn't listen, but she did pull away, licking her lips hungrily. He nearly lost it at the sight. When she straightened back to a stand he put his hands on her ass and pulled her up until she was flush against his chest, he enjoyed the soft feeling of her breasts pressing into him, and the heat between her legs searing his stomach.

 

"Standing?" She grinned wickedly, never having considered such a thing, would he be able to keep standing though? Reaching between her legs and down, she gently grabbed his cock and held it ready. "Lower me," she ordered.

 

His cock twitched in her hand as she commanded him and he bared his teeth at her, slowly lowering her down until he could feel the heat and wetness of her cunt taking him in. He kept going until their bodies were sealed together, spurred on by her sighs and moans.

 

Her hands reached up and grabbed his shoulders, squeezing at the thick muscle as she ground her hips against his experimentally.

 

He squeezed her ass tightly, turning and walking towards a nearby tree until he had her squished between its trunk and him.

 

"Yes!" She hissed as he took an experimental thrust, sending stars exploding behind her eyes.

 

"Heida," he growled, "I'm going to fuck you now."

 

She tossed her head back as he drove his hips into hers hard, forcing a sweet gasp out of her. Pinned in place, she felt herself soaring as he set his pace, pounding into her mercilessly. His deep chested groans, straining muscles and clenched teeth were sending her into a frenzy of her own.

 

So close, she was so close to that sweet peak of oblivion. "Reiner!" She cried out, feeling his attentions intensify with her call. "Harder!" Bracing herself, she met his incredulous wild-eyed gaze, daring him.

 

On the next thrust she felt the bark of the tree behind her giving up and crumbling off, stars were blinding her as she gasped. With the next she let out a cry, the pleasure and pain soaring to new heights. At the third her whole body jerked with the force of her orgasm, and he gasped at how tight her cunt clenched around his cock, setting him off too.

 

Deep inside her, he let out a long groan as he emptied his balls and held her still and tight. After a minute of trembling and sweating, he slowly pulled away and lowered her to her feet.

 

"Ah, shit," she muttered as she just kept going down and ended up on her ass. Letting out a little laugh she gave his leg a pat, "mm, that was good."

 

"Sorry," he muttered, trying to help her up while his own legs felt wobbly, she ended up waving him off.

 

"I regret nothing," she smiled up at him, using the tree as a brace to slowly rise to a stand, "but I will tomorrow."

 

"Me neither," he admitted, staggering to his clothes and getting them back on. She bumped into him and used him as a pillar to lean on to grab her own clothes off the ground.

 

In a few minutes they were gingerly making their way back to the compound, arm in arm. A quick kiss goodnight passed between them and they regretfully went to their own buildings. If anyone wanted to give Reiner shit for not coming back until then, nobody spoke up.

 

Yelling pulled Heida out of a deep sleep early in the morning. Unable to make sense of the words she threw clothes on quickly and ran outside, her loose hair flying about. A horse grazed nearby, disinterested in the scene, as Eren confronted Reiner. It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dropped on her, and she ran off as soon as she realized the spearmen were hiding.

 

"Eren, you don't understand the situation," Reiner was arguing, holding a hand out for space. His eyes scanned the road behind Eren, wondering if anyone was coming to diffuse this situation.

 

"I understand you're a traitor and I'm going to kill you!" Eren snarled and shoved the bigger man forcefully.

 

Heida came running back with ODM gear on and swords drawn, "Back off!" she yelled.

 

"Get back!" Both Eren and Reiner shouted back, glancing at one another warily.

 

Eren took the first real swing, catching Reiner in the gut and doubling him over into a knee in the face.

 

"Reiner! Damnit!" Heida didn't dare get closer, these weren't just two squabbling men.

 

Reiner caught Eren by the waist with his shoulder and hurled him backwards, staggering back to his feet and raising his fists. Eren slid to a stop and did the same.

 

"Everyone that died, it was all because of you! I'll never forgive you!" Eren said.

 

"I'm not asking for forgiveness!" Reiner said. "My choices lead me here and I have chosen to atone for what I have done!"

 

Heida spied a dust trail rising in the distance, could it be help? Would it matter if Eren snapped and changed into a titan?

 

"Don't do it," Reiner warned, teeth bared.

 

Eren's hand was lifting, he was thinking about it. He could hear the rapid hoofbeats down the road, what remained of the Survey Corps was coming to put a stop to him.

 

"I can't let you live," Eren said.

 

Arcs of blinding light and dust flew in all directions as both men bit down on their hand and changed.

 

Heida ran to the mens building and flung the door open as the two titans collided with a roar. All four of the spearmen were cowering, clenching their weapons fearfully. "Get out here!" She bellowed. When none of them moved she slammed the door and took in the situation.

 

The Survey Corps was arriving, lead by Hange and Levi, but there was no trees or buildings to use the ODM gear properly. Heida ran for them, skirting around the battle.

 

"Why are they titans?!" Levi yelled at Heida as soon as she was in range.

 

"Eren changed first! Reiner is defending himself!" Heida skidded to a stop infront of Levi and Hange as they dismounted. Heida did not like the lack of decisiveness on the Commanders face.

 

"You know how to use that?" Levi motioned to the ODM gear Heida was wearing.

 

"Yeah," she said, grimacing as Reiner shoved his way out of a hold, but not before some of his armor shattered loudly.

 

"Get to Reiner," Levi instructed calmly, "and get him to lead Eren into the woods." He did not wait for Heida to confirm that she understood, only turned to the few troops he had and started barking orders to get to the woods themselves.

 

Heida turned to the duelling titans and forced her feet forwards. Maybe he saw her coming but Reiner finally started fighting back, landing a blow that literally knocked off Eren's lower jaw. She caught Reiner making a _back off_ gesture at her as Eren stumbled backwards, but she pumped her legs harder and launched the cables at him.

 

He knocked them out of the air deftly before Eren was back on him, snarling like a lunatic. Heida saw Captain Levi catching on to Eren's back and landing on his shoulder to speak to him. Emboldened, she used Eren's back herself and took a wide arc around his body, launching directly at Reiner from a different angle.

 

Colliding with Reiners collar bone, she flailed gracelessly as she began to fall backwards. A massive hand caught her and guided her to his shoulder. "Thanks," she said breathlessly, realizing there was a lull in the battle. Eren was standing still as Levi spoke to him. Reminded of her orders, she got back on track. "We need to get Eren to the woods where the Corps can help disable him if Levi can't convince him to stop right now, got it?" She said.

 

The massive titan head gave a slight nod. Together, they waited. "I'll be fine," she muttered, not sure if she was reasurring herself or him.

 

Levi stepped way from Erens ear, done talking, and waited for the response. When Erens hand swatted at him like he was a fly, it was clear negotiations had failed.

 

Heida stuck two cables into Reiners shoulder for support as the heavily armored titan took off, running towards the woods. Erens titan lurched into action, chasing them with a haste that Heida didn't think was possible for something so huge, it was clear Reiner was slower.

 

"I don't know if you're going slow for my benefit," Heida said, "but please, go _faster!_ " When the pace didn't pick up, she drew her blades and looked Eren in the eye. It was chilling, the rage there. She saw Levi racing across the field on his horse, trying to get ahead of the running titans.

 

Thinking twice about flying in the face of an intelligent raging titan, she sheathed her blades and swung beneath Reiners chin and grabbed on to his collar bone for support. They hit the forest as Eren tackled Reiner from behind. Having misjudged exactly how hard this hit was going to be, Heida went flying forwards like a rocket as the two titans hit the ground.

 

It was strange how time seemed to slow down when your life was flashing before your eyes, Heida ruminated. Trees were blazing by in a blur as her tumbling body lost momentum and slowly headed for the ground, or was it fast? It was a miracle she hadn't been dashed on any trees yet, she thought.

 

The air was violently forced from her lungs as someone crashed into her side and caught her. "I thought you said you knew how to use that?" Levi said.

 

Dizzy from the outragiously fast movement, Heida hugged the tree they landed on and groaned. "I do," she insisted woozily.

 

"Don't get in the way, we will deal with Eren," Levi said, flying off without hesitation.

 

Heida couldn't see the battle anymore, but it was loud and it was close. Reiner was bellowing back at Eren now, hopefully putting up an honest fight. She swiped sweat from her forehead, this was all going so sideways. Why would Eren turn on his companions like that? Did he have nothing left but hate?

 

An uprooted tree crashed through the woods a ways away and Heida couldn't stand it, she had to at least see what the hell was going on. Leaping from the tree she took off on the ODM gear at a slow pace, circling around the battle to try and get a good view. She landed high up in a willowy tree that wobbled dangerously with her weight, but it held. Squinting, she tried to make sense of what she saw.

 

People were circling around on ODM gear, Eren was laying on his front with his hands covering his neck and Reiners heavy titan had him pinned beneath him. A small form slashed at the hands and she saw shards fly everywhere, Levis sword shattering into a dozen fragments. So Eren had amored hands like Reiner was armored, she guessed.

 

The small shape of Levi pointed up at Reiner and shouted something, and Reiner nodded understanding as Levi leaped on to the back of Erens head.

 

Reiners hands grasped Erens wrists and began to slowly pry them apart while Eren snarled and kicked his legs, unable to move otherwise. Levi had already equipped a fresh blade and was standing ready. He was going to cut Eren out of there, Heida realized.

 

"You're Heida?" A man with a mop of blond hair said the second he landed in the tree below her.

 

"Ah!" She shouted, "I mean, yes," she was thankful he couldn't see her embarassed face.

 

"I'm sorry this has happened, I am Armin," he said.

 

"You know Eren then?" She said.

 

"Yeah. I tried to convince him not to do this," he winced as Levi sliced open his friends neck faster than he could harden his flesh, leaving his body exposed.

 

"What's going to happen to him?" Heida wondered out loud.

 

"He threw away the Survey Corps trust," Armin sounded wounded, "I don't know."

 

"What do you think about Reiner?" She looked down at him to better gauge his reaction.

 

Armin looked sick, his big blue eyes wide. "I can't forgive him, but I can follow orders," he said.

 

"I understand," she said quietly, looking back at the scene. Eren's body, lacking arms and legs below the elbows and knees, was pulled out of the neck of the titan, gagged and carried off. "No one is asking forgiveness."

 

Levi made a gesture and said something to Reiner, and he crawled out of the neck of his titan a few moments later.

 

"Looks safe now," she said, "see you around, Armin." She launched from the tree and made her way over, landing on the ground beside the steaming titan corpses. Levi and Reiner landed not far away.

 

"How did he get out of the cell?" Reiner asked.

 

"Hange thought we could trust him when he didn't blow up after we told him you were allowed to live," Levi crossed his arms, "clearly we were mistaken."

 

Reiner grunted, eyes locking on Heida, "and you."

 

"And me?" Heida quirked a brow.

 

"I told you to stay back," he said.

 

Heida thought this might be the first time he looked legitimately angry when looking at her, it made her feel ill and angry in return. "I was following orders, or have you forgotten what you've been spending time training me for?"

 

"She said she knew how to use the gear," Levi said.

 

"And I do," she said stubbornly.

 

Levi started walking to his horse, "meet back at the training camp," he said before riding off.

 

Reiner stared at Heida with a deep frown.

 

"You can't get angry at me and push me away when you realize this is getting real," she said, offering her hand to him.

 

He did not take it, only turning and walking away.

 

"If you think I am that inadequite then you need to train me harder!" She shouted after him, surprised at the liquid spilling down her cheeks. Frustrated, she swiped it away and followed after him.

 

Everyone was gathered in the yard, and Heida only now realized that a foot had stomped through the mens sleeping quarters. She wondered if the spearmen made it out, and was relieved to see they did, even if they were cowards.

 

"Eren Yeager," Commander Hange said,"you have betrayed the trust of your comrades and attacked an ally of humanity. What do you have to say for yourself?"

 

Heida had to follow a few sets to eyes to figure out where Eren was, and she felt sick when she realized his mostly limbless body was strapped to a mans back.

 

"You betrayed everyone who died because of him!" Eren snarled, eyes wide, "you pissed on their graves! He will betray you just like he betrayed us!"

 

Reiner stood silent and stoic.

 

"Reiner Brauns fate has already been decided," Hange said, adjusting her glasses, "it was not your choice to make, but it was an order for you to follow. You have failed humanity today, Eren."

 

"Put me in the deepest hole you can find, I will crawl back out and I will kill him," Eren hissed.

 

Silence hung heavy, all eyes staring at Eren.

 

"Marley doesn't care about your vendetta against me. You wont put aside the pain of the past to safeguard against the future we know is coming?" Reiner said.

 

Marley, again that name, Heida frowned. Reiner clearly understood what it meant now.

 

Eren was silent, fuming at the betrayer addressing him in such a way.

 

"A hole it is," Hange said, her voice heavy with emotion. With a sharp gesture, she and the Survey Corps got back on their horses. She turned to Reiner, "continue your mission here, I will be in touch."

 

Heida got a good look at Erens face as they rode away, tears were streaming down his cheeks. She couldn't feel anything but pity and a healthy amount of fear.

 

"You're a disgrace," Levi was addressing the soldiers who hid, "and I expect you to respond to situations appropriately from here on out."

 

The leader of the spearmen nodded enthusiastically, "yes Captain Levi!"

 

Levi rounded on Reiner and Heida, the only two left standing in the area, his eyes on Heida. "You. Get better," he said.

 

Reiners hand fell heavy on Heidas shoulder as her hackles raised, giving her a hard jerk to stop her from speaking. "Get geared up for a run," he said, shoving her off in the direction of her quarters.

 

Stumbling away, Heida channeled her anger into her tired legs and stormed off to gear up as ordered.

 

"She isn't going to survive," Reiner said as soon as she was out of earshot, "we trained for years. She has what, weeks?"

 

"Its your job to figure it out, Reiner. In case you didn't realize, she is your partner and she is your problem if you want her to live." Levi said, mounting his horse and taking off to catch up with the rest of the Corps members.

 

Reiner stared off after them, fists slowly clenching and unclenching. He stood there until Heida came running up fully geared. "I changed my mind," he said, not looking at her.

 

Heida grit her teeth, "what are your orders?"

 

"I don't know if I can protect you from what is coming," he said.

 

Her heart softened, and she walked up beside him. "Don't push me away, challenge me. I promise you, I will rise," she said, reaching out for his hand.

 

His hand engulfed hers and gave a squeeze, "need to get you up to par on ODM gear, so that is what we're going to do."

 

She put a hand to her growling stomach, "lets eat first, at least?"

 

He nodded.

 

Together they walked past the ruined building, glancing at the four men combing through it for their belongings, and made their way to the mess hall.

 

"You know a guy named Armin?" Heida mumbled around her bread.

 

Reiner went still. Armin ate Bertolt. He lowered his spoon back to the bowl, "yeah," he said.

 

"Said he was Erens friend, figured you might know him," Heida shrugged, eager to let the subject drop, judging by his reaction.

 

"He was one of the friends I made here and betrayed later," he said, a look of sadness coming over him.

 

"You don't have to tell me, it's alright Reiner," she said.

 

They finished dinner quietly, then went back to the forest to practice the ODM gear until dark fell. Reiner put on a set of ODM gear for himself so he could push her harder, which seemed to give good results.

 

Reiner had begun to write down everything he knew about Marley, the Eldians, how their society worked, everything he could think of. Hange would want to know and it was cathartic to get something he had spent years hiding out into the air.

 

Heida responded well to being pushed harder, and he tried his damndest to get her to reach and break her limits with each new day.

 

By the time Hange called on them, Reiner felt a deep sense of pride in what they had accomplished in a few short weeks. They were both given horses by a rider, as good a sign of increasing trust as anything he figured, and taken back to the Survey Corps castle headquarters.

 

Together they walked in to Hanges office and saluted crisply, "Commander Hange," Reiner said.

 

"Ah, glad you two came swiftly, please sit," she gestured at the two chairs in front of her desk. She waited for them to be seated before speaking again. "After the retaking of Shiganshina and the revealing of the three books inside Erens fathers basement, there has been significant progress towards humanities well being," she said.

 

Both Reiner and Heida looked confused.

 

"I remember Eren talking about the basement but, what were the three books about?" Reiner asked.

 

Hange leaned forwards, glasses gleaming, "the outside world. The truth of our situation, the titans, everything!"

 

"Theres... an outside world?" Heida looked bewildered. Reiner came from outside so there had to be, but it still came as a shock.

 

"Ah, before you continue," Reiner produced the small stack of papers he had been writing for Hange and handed them over. "I began to write down everything I have been remembering, I hope some of it may prove useful," he said.

 

"I want to know everything," Heida said, leaning forwards with a hungry look.

 

So Hange told them everything, with gusto as the eccentric woman always did when talking about new and exciting things. By the time she was done both Reiner and Heida were sagging in their seats from mental exhaustion.

 

"Now, with all that in mind, I have the beginnings of a mission in mind for the two of you," Hange said.

 

Reiner subtly gave his shoulders a stretch, "Oh?"

 

"We need to know what Marley plans next, while we work on a plan to clear the titans outside of the walls," Hange said.

 

Heida watched as Reiner went rigid, hands gripping the arms of his chair so tight they creaked.

 

"Is it possible for you to go back to Marley after all this time, Reiner?" Hange tilted her head.

 

"Because I failed my mission I would be fed to the next warrior candidate for the armored titan. Heida would be executed for just coming from the island," he said.

 

Hange rubbed her chin, "too bad. A different mission for you then," she said.

 


	3. Chapter 3

A few days later they found themselves in Shiganshina, which had regained a small amount of its population; people who were desperate to come back home, to rebuild and get back to life as it was before the nightmare started.

 

"This isn't the kind of mission I was expecting," Heida finally admitted, looking over at Reiner. Riding side by side, they cleared the gate and came to a stop to look over the situation.

 

People were turning and pointing at the two riders in Survey Corps regalia, some even cheered. Reiner seemed to withdraw into himself, a bored expression masking whatever he was thinking.

 

Heida understood, somewhat, this was maybe his greatest sin and he was here to face it head on. She felt a beam of pride before catching the eye of one of the men in charge.

 

"Survey Corps, what's your business here?" The older man looked up at them from his clipboard expectantly.

 

"Reiner Braun and Heida, here to help," Reiner said, thumbing over his shoulder at Heida.

 

"Ah," the man flipped a page of his clipboard over, "the special help. Right, you're going to pull the chunks of the door out of the houses by yourselves?" He raised a brow.

 

Reiner nodded slowly. "Where do you want it put?"

 

The man chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, "up against the wall I guess, good luck." He waved them off and turned to get back to work.

 

Heida leaned towards Reiner as they made their way down the main road, "if they didn't get the memo, there might be a lot of panic," he said.

 

"Yeah," Reiner said, thinking on it. "Lets get to the inn, get us a room and stable the horses for now."

 

"And a hot meal!" Heida said enthusiastically.

 

The people who were in Shiganshina now were for restoring infrastructure and to support those people doing these jobs, Heida saw a lot of hard working men and women on the way to the inn. Together they stabled their horses and walked in to a happy atmosphere of drink and food, they actually had to sit at the bar because there were no seats available.

 

Heida tucked into the food straight away, all the exercise Reiner had been putting her through had left her ever hungry.

 

"Don't choke," he teased, taking a long pull of ale.

 

It only took a few minutes before trouble reared its ugly head. "You Reiner Braun?" A gruff voice said from behind him.

 

Curious, Heida turned on her stool to face the guy. He was a huge, doubtless taller than Reiner himself, heavyset man who looked like he bent steel with his hands for a living.

 

Not turning around, Reiner swallowed his food and sat up slowly. "Yeah, that's me," he said.

 

"Here I thought the betrayer of humanity would have been a little bigger," the man said. Conversations started to die off and eyes began to rest on them.

 

Slowly, Reiner turned on his stool and slid to his feet, surprised his eyes only met the mans mouth. "Trying to work on that "betrayer of humanity" part," he admitted.

 

"My wife and kids died here because of you," the man was clenching his fists, temper on the rise.

 

"Lots of people here died because of me," Reiner said.

 

Heida felt sympathy pain when the mans fist collided with Reiners nose. It was a slow but powerful hit, there was no way Reiner of all people didn't see it coming. She decided to remain seated as the majority of the inn roared in celebration of the attack. _Maybe it wasn't the best idea to say his name,_ she thought.

 

Reiner shoved the man backwards with one hand while the other reached for his profusely bleeding and now crooked nose. "Easy," he said.

 

The mans face lit up bright red and he hissed, "did you say _it was easy_?"

 

Reiner shook his head and waved his hand, "no, no. I said-" He grunted as the man hit him in the gut, doubling him over.

 

Heida grabbed her ale and looked over the rim at the scene, "you okay there Reiner?"

 

"'m fine," he said as he staggered back upright.

 

"Get outta here traitor!" A few people began shouting and cursing at him. "We're here to fix what you broke!"

 

Reiner tried again, holding a hand up in a peaceful gesture. "I'm not here to hurt anyone, I am here to help and to try and fix what I have done," he said.

 

The big man grabbed Reiners jacket at the shoulders and shook him like an animal shakes its prey.

 

"Don't," Reiner warned, eyes sharpening.

 

He didn't heed the warning and tried to lift Reiner up, probably to throw him somewhere.

 

Reiners hand grasped the back of the mans neck as he side stepped and promptly slammed his head into the bar top so hard it bounced off. Like a ton of bricks the giant fell to the floor with a crash.

 

Some patrons had leaped to their feet, fists at the ready, when Heida made a point to pull her cloak back and reveal her swords. They sat back down.

 

Heida took a deep breath. "Tomorrow at noon, this man," she pointed at Reiner as he tried to put his broken nose back into place, blood dripping from his chin, "will be getting the wall door rubble out of the way for you."

 

"Like hell he will!" One man shouted.

 

Heida shrugged. "I told you the time, bring your friends and watch," she said, turning back to her dinner.

 

A squelching crunch announced Reiner had fixed his nose and he sat heavily beside her a moment later, leaning in. "I thought we were going to be a little more subtle than this," he said, swiping at his bloody face with his arm.

 

"What is the point of doing your good deeds if nobody attributes them to you?" She stuffed the last piece of bread in her mouth, cheeks puffing like a squirrel.

 

A few men had come up to carry off the unconscious man, probably to wherever he slept. The innkeeper, blessed with a sense of caution, approached Heida instead of Reiner, but wrung his hands all the same. "Look, I'm happy to feed you guys but we don't have any rooms available right now, it's a full house," he said.

 

"We'll manage, thanks for the food," Reiner answered, fishing money for the meal out of his pocket.

 

The innkeeper didn't make eye contact but took his money all the same.

 

Together they left the inn and went on the hunt for a place to sleep in the dark, the horses could stay stabled. They were searching through a relatively in tact home when Reiner turned in the doorway she had been following him through and filled it up like a looming shadow. "So, you want people to start looking at titans with something other than fear?" he said.

 

"I mean," she fumbled with her words, something in his posture and tone suggested danger. "We _are_ the titans, if what Hange said was true," she said.

 

"The 9 are very, very different than pure titans," he said, resting his hands on either side of the door frame.

 

"Yeah..." She frowned. 13 years. Time like that flies by. "How long do you have, Reiner?" she said.

 

"8 years," he said, "I was 12."

 

"The Marleyans sure like to start early huh?" She jested, but it felt uncomfortable. It really was a horrible thing.

 

He chuckled, backing into the room and disappearing into the dark even with her adjusted eyesight.

 

She did the math in her head as she followed, "can't believe you're 17, you sure as hell look older," she said.

 

He curled his arms around her from behind, making her jump. "You haven't had any complaints so far," he said.

 

She smiled, the odd fear found itself dispelled as he guided her to the bed he found. "No, I have not," she said. It was hard to keep in mind that the person she was falling into bed with was also a giant armored killing machine. It was hard to think at all when his lips pressed against hers.

 

He laid on top of her as they kissed, giving her a pleasant squished sensation. She ran her hands along his sides, caressing his muscles. Giving his lips a little bite, she twisted her hips and guided him to his side. Forehead to forehead, his feet no doubt dangling off the bed, she let out a happy sigh and fell straight to sleep with his arm draped over her.

 

"Heida?" He whispered, chuckling when he realized she was already done for. Must have been the ale. He drew her in close and followed suit.

 

The next day they hid their obvious Survey Corps cloaks in their backpacks and had an easier time getting around to help people out. Heida teased Reiner that all he was good for was heavy lifting, and he may have mentioned her place was in the kitchens, it was all in good fun.

 

But noon came rolling in faster than Reiner wanted it to, and he soon found himself approaching one of the huge gate shards that had crushed a house, dusting his hands off. There was also a gathering crowd.

 

Heida wondered, as she leaned against a wall across the road, if he could do it if he was nervous.

 

"If you're going to help then do it!" Someone shouted from the croud.

 

The blinding light and storm of wind and dust was Reiners answer. Squinting, Heida lowered her arm and looked from the titan to the people. Some were already running for their lives, but a good majority remained, frozen in fear or mouths agape.

 

Lurching forwards, Reiner didn't wait for applause, he grabbed a hold of the huge chunk of gate and lifted it, the remains of the house crumbling inwards without its support.

 

Heida followed after at a jog, not feeling so great about seeing the amount of tears that were being shed in that crowd. Maybe this whole mission wasn't the best idea, but it was too late now.

 

It took a minute for Reiner to pick a spot, but he deposited the huge chunk with minimal effort and turned to look over the city, looking down a little more he saw Heida waving.

 

"Give me a lift!" She shouted.

 

He offered her a hand, which she stepped on, and put her up on his shoulder. Once she was steady, she pointed towards another area with a gate chunk. "I remember seeing one a few rows over that way," she said. There were a few people trailing after them at this point, but most of them were not.

 

So they went, piling pieces of the old gateway along the walls until they couldn't find any more. When Reiner set her down and fought his way out of the titan, she waited for him to climb down to the ground with her.

 

"You don't look so good," she said, frowning and eyeing someone approaching from a ways off.

 

"I'll be fine," Reiner straightened as he caught sight of the person, a woman, coming over.

 

Tears were running down her face, and she had a defeated look.

 

Heida felt uncomfortable, glancing at Reiner, the woman was clearly coming to him.

 

Reiner looked the part too, shifting his weight from foot to foot and looking at either her feet or anywhere else but her. "Are you alright?" He finally asked when she got close.

 

"My husband," she said, coming to a stop a few feet shy of Reiner and looking up at him without wavering.

 

Heida cringed.

 

Taking a breath, Reiner looked her back in the eye, he owed as much. "What did I do to your husband?" He said.

 

"He was a part of the garrison," she blinked slowly, tears sliding down her cheeks, her voice raw. "You ran him over when you ran through the gate," she said.

 

"I'm," he said.

 

"You're what, sorry?" She cut him off, a baleful fire burning to life in her eyes. "Why did you break the gate? Why did you rain hell on us?"

 

Reiner ran a hand over his face, emotionally exhausted. "I came from a place beyond the walls, a place that considers this an enemy nation. I was a warrior sent to fight for my homeland, against a place full of devils," he said.

 

"Devils?" She whispered.

 

"You aren't devils," he clarified quickly, "but at the time I did not know. I only knew what I was taught, and I know now that it was wrong, so very wrong."

 

Her angry demeanor cracked, fresh tears spilling down as she covered her face and let out an ugly sob. Reiner nearly jumped out of his skin when she closed the gap between him and her and buried her head in his chest, throwing her arms around him.

 

Slowly, carefully, he gave her a gentle hug, patting her back. His eyesight blurred as her grief pierced him like a knife. "We were just kids," he said.

 

She squeezed him tight before pulling away, swiping at her eyes and nodding. "I know better than to blame the soldier, they only act on the will of the people they serve. I know who to hate now," she said.

 

Reiner stood stunned, watching as she turned and walked away. Someone had forgiven him. A person who was directly living in Shiganshina when he and his fellow warriors attacked it, no less.

 

Heida slid up beside him and pressed her hand into his. "She's right, and she wont be the last person to admit it either," she said, hopeful.

 

For the first time in a long time, a small seed of hope embedded itself in his chest. He swiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Lets get some food. I'm hungrier than you right now," he smiled.

 

"Maybe, I didn't exactly do anything today," she nudged his side and took off walking with him.

 

There was a definitive shift in how the general populace regarded them now, well, Reiner at least. Not a word was spoken towards them, some people turned away and cried, others changed their course to avoid them completely, there were also a lot of empty stares.

 

Before they reached the inn, Heida squeezed his hand and spoke in a low voice, "maybe we should take the horses and camp out of the city tonight."

 

"Alright," he said.

 

Again they were seated at the bar, tucking into dinner and pulling down ale. Conversation was quieter tonight, the mood reserved. Reiner knew what the topic was, he didn't need to hear. He looked at Heida when her foot nudged his.

 

"I think we should leave early," she murmured. A bad feeling had settled in her guts.

 

An older, wiry man sat down beside Reiner before he could respond, giving Reiner a nod. "Hey," he said.

 

"Hey," Reiner said back, quirking a brow.

 

"Good work today, just wanted to say thanks," the man nodded and slipped off as quick as he had come.

 

Quietly, he agreed with Heida and they both finished off their meal with haste, Reiner paying the innkeeper and bidding him good night. Dark had already fallen but it wasn't too hard to find their own horses, there weren't many people in the city right now who could even afford one.

 

Leading the horses by their reins, they would not ride them without torch light, Reiner and Heida made their way to the gate.

 

Reiner heard the running footsteps before Heida did, she turned just in time for a board to connect with her shoulder, "Hey!" she bellowed, the attacker already darting away.

 

He charged after the attacker until he saw the board was stuck to her shoulder, cursing under his breath and going to her instead.

 

"A nail," she hissed, hand on the board.

 

He took hold of the board and gave her a pat on the head before pulling it out in one go, to a stream of curses from her.

 

"Let's go," she hissed angrily, tugging on her horses reins as he tossed the board away.

 

"You get on the horse, I'll lead," he said.

 

"I got hit in the shoulder, not my legs," she said.

 

"Someone just came after you," he stopped her with a hand, "you are safer on the horse, get on," he said firmly.

 

Grudgingly she listened, climbing on to the horse while favoring her shoulder. He led the way cautiously, but no one else tried their luck. They made camp along the wall, sleeping curled up with one another.

 

He woke up with his hand sunk into her hair, he combed his fingers through it, enjoying the smoothness.

 

She shifted and tilted her head back from under his chin, smiling up at him sleepily. "Who knew you made a good blanket?" She said.

 

He chuckled and gave her ass a squeeze with his other hand, "how's your shoulder?" He said.

 

"Let's see," she said, slowly separating from him and sitting up. "Definitely sore," she muttered, noting a bit of blood on her shirt as she pulled her jacket off.

 

"I'm not sure we should stay here to help if people are going to be trying to kill us," he said, looking at the discolored skin around the circular puncture mark on her shoulder.

 

"I think we can deal with some disgruntled workers, they don't have weapons," she said, poking at the hole with a grimace.

 

"It's not that we can't take them," he shook his head, "it's been clear that I'm salt in the wound for most of them and beating up or killing people who just want to rebuild their homes and get back to living doesn't strike me as repaying my debts," he said.

 

She gave it some thought, sliding her jacket back on and standing up. "We have our orders," she said, "I think we can navigate this, but it's up to you."

 

Getting to his feet, he sighed and crossed his arms, thinking. "We'll leave our gear out here, and eat at the inn during off hours," he said.

 

"Alright, let's do it," she said.

 

They hid their gear in the shrubbery under a tree and made their way back into Shiganshina on their horses. The atmosphere of the people was much like yesterday, but Reiner was much more alert, on the lookout for trouble.

 

Against his better judgement, after securing their horses at the inn, he and Heida split up and went out into the city to help people with their tasks.

 

When a full paint can fell from the second story of a house she was helping rebuild and almost hit her, Heida began to be suspicious. There were other, smaller, things too, like the unfriendly looks and how some hands clenched tightly around tools when she entered a room.

 

The local foreman had sent her to clear debris from an alleyway, which was fine, she had her gloves and a broom and took to it without complaint. It was, however, an alleyway with no exit but where she came from.

 

Not long after she took note of that fact, a group of men filled the entrance, shoulder to shoulder. Each had a hammer in his hand and a dark look in the eye. They began their approach.

 

"Of course," she muttered, calmly holding her broom and facing them. "I don't suggest trying," she said without inflection, the broom dropped from her hands and clattered to the ground.

 

"If we can't kill him," one with a goatee said, "we'll kill his whore!"

 

Heida's eyes narrowed as they raised their hammers and charged. She charged back in return, her eye catching on one man who faltered slightly in response, she aimed at him. Tilting forwards, she let out a battle cry and caught him at the waist with her shoulder, his hammer knocking against her back as he flew over her and landed on his ass. Without pause she kept running and skidded out of the alleyway, running past a gathering of people who definitely knew what was going on in there.

 

"Reiner!" She shouted as she ran, weaving through the crowd, but quickly gave it up. She ran out of the city and back to the camp instead, hopefully he'd have the presence of mind to fall back to there when he figured something was wrong, if someone hadn't managed to brain him with a hammer yet.

 

Reiner grunted as he raised a wooden pillar and held it up for the man above to hammer it into place. This wasn't so bad, he figured, even if it had been difficult to get into a worker group that could accept his presence. These guys were polite and cautious, but he made himself useful and that was what mattered.

 

"That's it for now, dinner time!" The foreman yelled from somewhere outside the house, and a small cheer erupted as everyone dropped what they were doing and headed out.

 

_Dinner already?_ Reiner looked up at the sky and realized he'd lost track of time, Heida probably wondered where he was when they were supposed to meet up for their early dinner. Well, he'd eat quick and meet up with her at camp. He swiped sweat off his forehead and made his way to the inn.  A bad feeling settled in his gut when he realized her horse was still there.

 

When he handed his coins to the innkeeper, the man leaned forwards and lowered his voice, "your friend ran out of the city earlier today."

 

Reiner frowned, "Why?"

 

"Don't know," the innkeeper took his coins and pocketed them quickly, walking away to busy himself elsewhere.

 

With rising anxiety Reiner left the inn and rode his horse, while leading Heidas, out of the city in the evening suns light.

 

Heida was in full ODM gear when he arrived at their camp spot, spinning to face him as he approached on the horses, her hand on the hilt of a sword and her teeth bared. "Ah, Reiner," he said, visibly relaxing. "I was about to go back in there and start hacking until someone told me where you were," she smiled.

 

"I heard you ran out of town earlier," he said, sliding off his horse and letting them both go to graze at their leisure. "What happened?"

 

Heida explained the situation, arms crossed with her face an angry mask.

 

He nodded slowly, anger seeping through his bloodstream. Too cowardly to attack him head on, they would try to destroy what he cared about instead. "You're not injured?" He said.

 

"Eh, someone hit me in the back but it's just a bruise," she shrugged it off. "I think you were right and we should get a message to Hange, or only work as a pair," she said.

 

"We should have been working as a pair from the start," he said. It was her idea to split, after all.

 

"You were right and I was wrong," she glared, "what are your orders?"

 

He softened, treating him as a superior was her way of trying to deflect, that's just how she was. "We'll get a message to Hange and work together until word gets back," he said.

 

"Alright," she said, turning away.

 

He walked over and put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing her back with his thumbs, "it'll work out," he said.

 

"You didn't have any trouble at all today, did you?" She said, starting to undo the straps that held up her ODM gear.

 

"No," he admitted.

 

She slipped away and hid her gear in the shrubs, "I don't like the idea that I'm only safe with you within reach," she said.

 

"You can, and did, handle yourself," he said, crossing his arms.

 

"I don't mean to say I don't want to be around you," she said, turning to him with a frown.

 

"I didn't suggest you did," he smirked.

 

"Right," she looked down at the grass, "I'm just used to being able to take care of myself without rescue, you know?"

 

They walked to the wall and sat up against it beside one another, resting in the grass as the light of day faded away.

 

After a while, Reiner looked over and down at her. Heidas eyes were closed, hands resting on her thighs. "You aren't a woman who needs rescuing Heida, but you can bet your ass that I'll do it if I'm near," she looked up at him with a frown, "and it isn't because of weakness, it's because I care about you," he said.

 

She slowly nodded, giving him a soft smile.

 

The next day they sent a messenger out for Hange with an update and went back to helping. They were relegated to dishes and laundry which came in endless waves. Heida kept an eye out for any of the men who had attacked her before, but their companions for the day were largely female and it seemed the one woman who confronted Reiner had put in a good word.

 

It took a few more days, in which there were no further issues, but Hanges response did come.

 

"Get to Utopia, track down rogue military police and neutralize them," Reiner said with a frown, looking at the paper in his hand.

 

"Utopia? That's a long ride," Heida said.

 

"Yeah," he said, folding the paper and pocketing it, "we can restock our supplies at the wall cities."

 

"Go through Chlorba, cut across to Yalkell, enter wall sina and skip across the interior?" She said.

 

"Exactly," he nodded.

 

"Well lets get moving, I'm ready for something other than being glared at," she said.

 

He gave her ass a pinch, making her jump, and grinned. "We'll do combat training each evening, don't want you getting rusty," he said.

 

She rounded on him and gave him a sultry smile, "if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were making excuses to put your hands on me," she said.

 

"I need excuses?" He asked, putting a hand over his heart.

 

"No," she winked and ran to her horse with him chasing.

 

He scooped her into his arms and gave her an unrelenting squeezing hug while she let out a squealing laugh, before boosting her up to the horse.

 

Together they rode away from Shiganshina and off into the countryside.

 


End file.
